A falling flower: Lily Evans
by Hermiones Quill 94
Summary: FOR A FRIEND. This is the story of Lily Evans, a delicate flower in a harsh world. Starts in her 5th year. What do the years hold for her? Happiness, romance and disaster all unfold. REVIEW - I reply to all of them! Some OC
1. Prologue

**Hey there, welcome to the land of Hermione at heart! Here's my new story and this one's special (if I do say so myself) :D Read on!**

**Dedication for this story:**

**There's a person, who's birthday happens to be today (11/05) who's really special to me. I'd like to dedicate this story to her because she's like the sister I never had, but always wanted. We share one thing that brought us together immediately; Harry Potter, so I'd like to thank JK for the sister I always wanted. I'd like to dedicate this story to her. This is my way of saying thank you and have the most magical birthday ever, even if that Hogwarts letter still doesn't come. Happy birthday! Love Ellie xx**

**Attention: Sensitive people should be warned this story contains sadness, violence, death, swearwords and if you don't like the mushy stuff; romance. :D**

**Here's the prologue and I'll post the first chapter right after this. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (wails in misery)**

_Prologue._

Under the cover of darkness a something stirred. From the cream folds of a standard hospital blanket a tiny hand appeared. The hand, guided by some unknown force made circular movements, disturbing the cool night air. From the essence of the child itself a golden glow flowed forth that faintly troubled the darkness of the room. The light grew, forming dancing shapes around the hand. The tiny, mottled pink fingers caught at the light, shaping it. The shapes formed flower petals that circled like celestial bodies. The hand's pair joined the first and they danced in the semi-darkness.

Another figure, unknown to the arts of magic, slept soundly, unaware that her own flesh and blood was disturbing the frame of time and fate. The red hair fanned across the white pillow, a fountain of blood. This mere muggle had no understanding of the great things that would come from her tiny daughter's ability. The other muggles in this hospital located on the outskirts of a city, didn't understand the later significance of this tiny baby.

Far from the muggle hospital where this young life started, a herd of centaurs were gazing at the stars. A grizzled, grey centaur with a wizened brown eye gazed towards Mars.

"Mars is bright tonight." He commented. The other centaurs turned their attention to the planet in question and began to discuss the meaning of this.

The old, grey centaur hushed them and spoke in a cracked whisper. "War." Another centaur, much, much younger than this one murmured his assent like the rest. However, this centaur saw something that the others did not. He saw, at an almost perfect right angle with Mars a golden body of light, growing in clarity. He nudged the grey centaur and nodded to the light.

"Peculiar." Said the older.

"What?" Asked the younger, begging for the knowledge and wisdom of the elder members of the herd.

"A star, believed to the centaurs to be the bringer of good omen shines with Mars tonight." The aged, cracked whisper came. A mutter went through the herd, which in turn was carried by the trees to the ear of a peculiar man.

The man the whispers ran to was tall, thin and had auburn hair. His beard was more than a goatee, but much less impressive than it would be in his later years. The stranger listened intently, scenting the air as if its taste would give some clue as to the meaning of the strange whispers. This man was very intelligent and was rumoured to be the most powerful wizard of his generation. He knew what these whispers meant, unlike the centaurs that foolishly stargazed. He knew what was to come. He knew he couldn't stop it. He knew there would be war, pain and bloodshed, but he also knew that a saviour would come.

Back in the muggle hospital the bundle fell quiet and the golden glow dimmed to the flickering, inconsistent light associated with that of a candle. Upon the blanket a single flower lay. A pure, white, soft flower with curling petals. A lily.

**AN I know it would be an extraordinary baby to do this, but Lily was always described as an "extraordinary witch." ;)**

**Happy birthday, again, little sister. Xx**

**To everyone else who reads this story: I hope you've enjoyed the opening and I hope you enjoy the chapters to come. Please feel free to review (I'd love it if you did).**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one – a mixture of memories

Fifteen years had passed since the birth of Lily Evans. The girl sat on a four-poster bed with scarlet hangings and a red and gold bedspread. Her mother had made the bedspread and she often curled up in it to remember her mother when she was here, in the castle, far away from home.

In Lily's lap lay a photo album. Lily looked at the pictures, remembering the fun times in her past.

The first picture was one of her, a mere bundle of blankets, in her mother's arms with her father and sister standing by the bed. Lily's hand held a flower, a lily; this had been the reason for her name. She had been too young to remember this, but her father loved to retell the tale of how his little girl came to be called Lily, even more so now that he understood how the flower had appeared.

There were photos of a young, redheaded girl learning to ride a bike, having her hair plaited by her sister and scoffing down vanilla ice cream. There were pictures of birthday parties and funfairs. Obviously none of these pictures moved.

One picture caught Lily's eye. It was of her in a pink tutu. Her mother had forced her into ballet at the age of eight, but Lily had never really enjoyed it; she tolerated it to keep her mother happy.

"_That's it sweetheart. Point those toes." Rose Evans' voice called out._

_Her daughter Lily twirled and twirled, toes pointed. She leaped and flew and danced. Her breath came in short puffs and a stitch in her side caused the forced smile on her face to falter._

_At the end of the session, Mrs Evans asked her two daughters what they had thought of the session._

"_Good, as always." Petunia said, skipping ahead. Petunia had been doing ballet for three years longer than Lily._

"_What about you Lily?"_

"_It was very good, mummy." Lily sang back, hiding a grimace._

Lily smiled at the memory. Ballet may not have been the most fun she'd ever had, but it had made her mother happy.

More photos. One of Lily's favourites was one of her and Petunia standing arms around each other's shoulders, smiling for the camera. Lily had been ten and Petunia not quite thirteen. They were at the beach so each of them wore a swimsuit and Lily's hair hung in thick, wet strands down her back.

Lily turned the page and came to the first moving picture. It was taken on the 1st September. It was the first time Lily had seen the scarlet Hogwarts Express and Lily's face shone with excitement. Of course, that day had not all been smiles and laughter…

_September the first dawned cool and grey. The summer was fast vacating Britain and the autumn was hot on summer's heels. The leaves were already golden, red and brown instead of the leafy green._

_Lily, Petunia and their parents approached King's Cross Station with plenty of time to spare. It was only 10.30. Mr Evans returned to the car with a trolley to put Lily's things on. With the odd assortment of packages and the sleeping owl on the trolley, the family set off._

_Platform nine. Platform ten. No platform nine and three quarters. But Lily had been expecting this. She told her parents what Hagrid had told her. The four ran towards the barrier at high speed. All but one of them believed that this could never work. As they approached the barrier all of them screwed up their eyes. No collision came and when they dared open their eyes they were standing on a crowded platform filled with white steam._

The steam blew a little in the breeze and Lily could see a gigantic scarlet train. The Hogwarts Express.

_Petunia glared angrily. Lily took up her pleading with Petunia again._

"…_I'm sorry Tuney. Listen –" Lily caught her sister's hand and held on tightly, despite Petunia's efforts to pull away. "Maybe once I'm there, no listen! Maybe once I'm there I could, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind."_

"_You think I – I want – to – go – to some stupid castle and become a – a freak?" Petunia sobbed, pulling free of Lily at these last words._

_Petunia's pale eyes wandered over the platform and the assortment of people. Some were dressed in robes, some in muggle clothes. There were owls hooting and cats yowling everywhere._

"_-You think I want to become a freak?"_

_Lily's eyes filled with tears. "I'm not a freak. That's a horrible thing to say!" Lily reprimanded._

"_That's where you're going," said Petunia with relish, " A special school for freaks! You and that Snape boy! It's good you're being separated from normal people! It's for our protection!"_

Lily pulled out of the memory, tears in her eyes. She and her sister didn't speak very much anymore.

Behind the photograph was the letter she had received from Hogwarts. The ink had faded some and the parchment was even more yellowed, but Lily would never want to lose that piece of parchment.

Lily turned another page in the worn photo album and saw one of her and her roommates here at Hogwarts. Sylvia Shining, Alice Merryweather, Marlene McKinnon, Harriet Dippet and Hestia Jones stood around Lily, all of them smiling and waving to the camera. The six girls had become inseparable over the four years of magical education that had already passed.

There were more photos, showing more memories. Lily grinned at them all. Then she came to another that caused her to stop smiling.

Severus Snape stared haughtily out of the photo. He did not smile and he did not wave. This photo had been taken at the end of last year. Severus and Lily were still friends, but they were growing apart. Severus had fallen into a bad group of Slytherins and Lily did not like them one little bit.

Lily had been appointed prefect, but Severus had not. Lily had discovered that Lupin had got the other Griffindor prefect badge. He seemed sensible enough – he had always been the kindest and most studious of the marauders.

Lily turned another page to see the four marauders smiling up at her. Marlene had taken a photo of them on Lily's camera last year. Lily had never approved of the marauders and James in particular had irked her right from the beginning.

_Soon enough Lily was stowed in a compartment, which she shared with a group of rowdy boys. Severus slouched in and sat opposite Lily._

"_I don't want to talk to you. Tuney hates me now!" Lily wailed, but the other boys paid no attention._

"_So what?" Severus asked, mistakenly._

"_So? She's my sister!" Lily moaned, wiping tears from her cheeks._

_Both of them had already changed into their Hogwarts cloaks._

"_But this is it! We're going! Aren't you excited?" Despite herself Lily smiled and nodded. "You'd better be in Slytherin!" Snape added._

_This last statement attracted the attention of the boys in the carriage at last._

"_Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" A black haired boy wearing spectacles asked of a scruffy, longhaired boy across from him._

"_My whole family have been in Slytherin." The boy replied, gloomily._

"_Oh! And I thought you were alright!" The fist boy scoffed, joking._

"You never know, I might break the tradition! Where are you headed, James?" The second boy asked.

"_Griffindor! Where dwell the brave at heart. Just like my dad." James replied, lifting an imaginary sword._

_Severus scoffed._

"_Oh, yeah? What's wrong with Griffindor?" The second boy asked._

"_Well if you'd rather be brawny than brainy." Severus suggested._

"_Well, where are you headed, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius, the second boy, asked, laughing._

_The group of boys laughed loudly and James clapped Sirius on the shoulder._

"_Come on Severus. Let's find another compartment." Lily huffed, standing. The two left to cries of, "Oooh, Snivellus." And, "Smell ya later Snivellus."_

Lily remembered another Severus/James confrontation. In fact she remembered many. On that stuck out particularly well had been the one and only time Severus had asked Lily out. James had hexed Severus. Sure, Severus had been annoying her and she was uncomfortable with his advances, but James was an arrogant, bullying toerag.

Lily sighed, putting the photo album away in the cupboard beside the bed. She blew out the candle beside her and stared out to the night sky. Owls swooped across the moon, flickering shadow into the room briefly. The snores and snuffles of Lily's sleeping roommates acted as her lullaby and she fell asleep listening to them and thinking of what her fifth year at Hogwarts might hold.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter two – an eventful first week back

Lily awoke in the morning to screaming. Startled, Lily sat up in bed rapidly. In front of her, she saw Alice, but she was upside down, hanging in midair by her ankle. Marlene, ever the practical joker, had performed the levitation spell.

Lily thought the counter charm and flicked her wand and Alice came crashing down in a heap, falling onto her bed.

"Well, that's one way to wake her up." Sylvia commented. The six girls, even Alice, burst into laughter. They set about getting ready for breakfast. Lily pulled a brush through her red hair, but felt a hand stop her. Sylvia took the brush and insisted on combing Lily's hair.

"You've got such lovely hair, Lily!" Sylvia sighed. In truth, Lily preferred Sylvia's hair. Sylvia was both blessed and cursed in her heritage. Her grandmother had been a veela, so naturally Sylvia was incredibly beautiful, with long silvery blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. However, the boys always chased her, their tongues hanging out like regular dogs.

Alice's round, kind face appeared in the mirror. She swiped Lily's wand off the table in front of her.

"Hey!" Lily complained.

"Oh, but you know your wand is so much better for curling hair than mine!" Alice complained, pouting and making her brown eyes large and soppy.

"Oh, okay then." Huffed Lily and Alice squealed, hugged Lily and disappeared out of the sight of the mirror.

When the girls were done with their preparations they all headed down the spiral steps to the common room. The circular common room was just as Lily remembered. The fireplace, the squishy armchairs and the portraits were all the same. Lily led the way out of the common room and said hello, in passing, to a few of the portraits. The girls collected outside the common room entrance.

"Hello Lily, dear. Congratulations on making prefect. Hello girls." The portrait of the fat lady beamed at them all. The girls returned the greeting before heading down to the Great Hall.

Before they could even enter the hall they knew something was wrong. Students were fleeing the hall with the sleeves of their robes over their faces. Lily pushed the great oak doors and stepped inside. A foul stench reached her nose and she didn't have to look far for the cause. Dung bombs littered the floor of the great hall.

The high table, where the teachers normally sat sedately, chatting or munching on toast or reading the Daily Prophet, was in disarray. Professor McGonagall tried to put a stop to the nonsense by vanishing the bomb, which were still seeping toxic, foul smelling gas into the hall.

As soon as the spell hit the bombs they multiplied threefold. In the corner of the hall, protected from the smell by bubblehead charms, stood three boys, wheezing with laughter. Lily stormed over. Lupin marched up with her, glad of her support.

"You three think you're so funny! Well you know what, you're not!" Lily stormed at the three boys who stopped laughing.

"Hello to you too, Evans." Greeted Sirius. "See your power's already gone to your head.

"Shut up, Black! Make them disappear, now!" Lily commanded. Sirius grinned and shook his head.

"Sirius, mate. It was funny while it lasted, now please don't make me put you in detention." Remus pleaded quietly. His silent approach had gone unnoticed.

James remained silent; staring at Lily. Meanwhile, Peter had disappeared, mysteriously.

"What? Potter?" Lily asked James, her tone cold and harsh.

"Nothing." James mumbled and took out his wand. He fired it up in the air and the smell vanished.

"Oh, thank goodness. I can breath again!" Sylvia said from behind Lily and Remus.

McGonagall had finally seen the miscreants and headed over, her lips a thin line.

"What did you think you were playing at?" She demanded. The two boys remained silent and no one else offered an explanation.

"Detention for you two, Potter and Black. I really hope you weren't involved Lupin." She spoke in a quiet, but dangerous voice.

"Remus wasn't involved professor." Lily spoke.

"Very well. Off to your lessons. You'll be late." McGonagall left without another word, her tartan robe sweeping behind her.

"C'mon." Lily grumbled, tugging on Sylvia and Marlene's arms. Only Sylvia and Marlene had remained to watch.

"But I haven't eaten yet!" Marlene complained and Sirius sniggered. She shot him a glare that had him quiet in seconds.

The three girls headed off to potions, the three boys lagging behind. Lily overheard snippets of their conversation.

"Can't believe he finally managed it…" Remus was saying in a hushed tone.

"Yeah, now we'll all be there to assist with your furry little problem." Muttered James.

"Can't believe the sneak, well rat really, abandoned us!" Sirius grumbled.

"Well, you can't blame him for wanting to avoid McGonagall's tirade – it was pretty awful. Plus, think of all the times we've left him behind." Remus reasoned.

Lily couldn't make sense of the conversation and tuned out as she walked through Professor Slughorn's door.

Potions passed in the usual fashion, with professor Slughorn praising Lily for her natural aptitude in the subject and Lily blushing like mad behind her curtain of hair. James watched Lily the whole lesson, a ritual he had begun in potions back in their third year. The only difference was the mention of the dreaded OWLs.

OWLs, or Ordinary Wizarding Levels were a serious deal if you wanted to get somewhere in the wizarding world. Lily was hoping to achieve ten outstanding OWLs this year so she knew she'd have to work hard.

The workload, the fifth years soon discovered, was much, much higher this year. In every lesson the teachers were reminding them about their OWLs and how hard they must work. McGonagall gave them a particularly long, harsh lecture and a meaningful glare in the direction of Sirius and James, when they arrived at transfiguration.

On the Friday, James had cornered Lily outside Herbology.

"What do you want?" Lily asked.

"You." The answer was quiet and Lily was unsure she had heard it. James continued, "I wanted to ask you a question."

"What might that be?" Lily asked. She had a feeling she knew the answer.

"Will you go out with me, Lily?" He asked. Lily sighed and shook her head.

"Has anything changed since last year, James? Have you matured?" She asked him.

"Yes." He answered eagerly, spurred on by the thought that this was the first time she had called him by his first name. Lily realised this too and her tone was rather harsher than she intended.

"No you have not." She told him.

"I have, honestly I have!" He told her, taking her hand in his. She hesitated and then pulled it away. Her hand tingled where he had touched it and she didn't like that feeling, not one little bit.

"No. My answer is no." Lily couldn't understand why his head drooped and his smile faded every time she said no. He ought to be used to it by now – he had been asking her out once a week for the last three years.

Lily headed from Herbology to lunch. There she grabbed an abandoned copy of the Daily Prophet and began to read. She gasped and the five girls sat with her asked her what was wrong.

"This." She whispered, showing them an article in the newspaper. It said that a muggle family of five had been found dead in their homes. The youngest child was only four.

"It's getting worse." Sylvia muttered, looking around at the other students, some of which had no clue what had happened to the muggle family.

That evening, Lily headed off to the fifth floor to try out the prefect's bathroom. It was fantastic to have the solitude of the bathroom to herself and time to think and relax. It was a very nice bathroom, with many taps producing all different kinds of bubbles and fresh, fluffy white towels waiting for her.

Well, at least it was enjoyable until four boys came in after a particularly muddy game of Quidditch.

"Ahhh!" Lily screamed – she had just got out of the bath and was wearing nothing but one of the white towels. Lucky, really, that they hadn't walked in a few seconds earlier.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked. James was openly gawping at Lily and obviously thinking very indecent thoughts. Peter had looked away in embarrassment and Remus had flushed a deep, beetroot red.

"B-better question w-would be, what are you doing here?" Lily stammered. She wished James would stop staring.

"Moony here invited us." Sirius said, stripping off his muddy shirt to reveal a gloriously toned chest and stomach. Lily averted her eyes. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, Evans, I'd like to get cleaned up." Sirius smirked. James, wanting to impress Lily with his muscles, slipped off his shirt too and began to run some of the taps again, filling the air with the scent of soap again.

Lily found herself unable to stop staring at his muscles. Get a grip! She told herself.

James' hazel eyes met her green ones and the hazel eyes turned playful.

"What? Lily-flower? What is it? Can't you take your eyes off me?" He smirked and the other three boys suppressed laughter.

"What? As if, Potter. In your dreams." She muttered darkly.

"Yes, actually." He smirked.

"Potter!" Lily warned.

"What?" He asked, feigning innocence.

"You disgust me." She huffed and flounced out of the bath area, only just remembering to pick up her things and slip her dressing gown over the towel. The boys watched her go with laughter in their eyes.

Lily hurried back to her bed where she lay thinking about all that had happened. Well, it had been an eventful first week back.


	4. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter three ... I won young writer of the year award - local and regional and through to the national final! So so happy!**

Chapter three – Halloween

Over the next few weeks Lily avoided the eye of each of the marauders. Lily occasionally went back to the prefects' bathroom, but never found the marauders in there again.

The newspapers and letters from home told the school that all was not well outside the walls of Hogwarts. Strange mists, caused by dementors, befuddled the muggles. Accidents, that weren't accidents at all, littered both the muggle and wizard headlines. Broken bridges, car crashes, tsunamis – the devastation built up and every week the news got worse.

However, Lily and her friends still tried to snatch a few hours of relaxation here and there where they could forget the worries from outside the castle and just have fun. The homework load continued and the teachers refused to stop the constant reminders of exams.

Halloween approached. Hagrid grew giant pumpkins out in the grounds and the weather grew cold and wet. With the coming of Halloween came several important fixtures in the diary of a Hogwarts student.

Firstly, the first Hogsmede weekend approached – the day before Halloween. Secondly, the first Quidditch match of the year was coming up between Griffindor and Slytherin, which caused the usual rise in tension and attacks on the team members. James was Quidditch captain and seeker for the Griffindor team, which he reminded Lily at every opportunity. The match was scheduled for Halloween morning, since Halloween fell on a Sunday.

The Friday before the game called for James to talk to Lily again at lunch.

"You coming to the game on Sunday?" He asked her, trotting to keep up with her as she walked towards the library, hoping to lose him there because Madam Pince had banned him for throwing books around. She had been unable to dodge him in the Great Hall and he had tailed her this far already.

"Of course." She answered stiffly, still avoiding eye contact.

"You've gotta cheer for me." He announced. Lily huffed.

"Of course I've got to – you're on Griffindors side." She rolled her eyes and sped up her walk.

"Good." He whispered. She ignored him. "So, Hogsmede tomorrow, then." He said, in an attempt to get her to talk. "You going?"

"Yes." One-syllable answers, Potter, get the message! Lily thought angrily.

"Going with anyone?" He asked eagerly.

She shrugged, rather than answer him.

"Want to go with me?" He asked. She came to a dead stop in the middle of the corridor.

Would she like to go with him? He was giving her a choice, rather than demanding it or telling her she was as he did every other year. Plus, he hadn't been up to his usual tricks with the marauders. Maybe he really had changed. No, she shook her head.

"No?" He asked, wounded again.

"Sorry, James." She said softly and continued her walk to the library, her fingers tightening on the books she held in her hand.

"That's okay. You headed for the library?" He asked.

"Yes." She returned to the one-syllable answers.

"Mind if I come?"

"Aren't you banned from the library?" Lily asked, her nose wrinkling and her eyebrows knitting together.

"Yeah, but I doubt she'll mind if I come in with the prefect who's making me study so I don't fail my OWLs." James said, half mocking, half serious. Lily could see the pleading in his eyes.

"Okay." She sighed and James smiled a smile that disappeared into his ears it was so wide.

The two of them arrived at the library, Madam Pince made no objection and they headed to Lily's favourite corner of the library. Lily dumped her bag and James sat opposite her. Lily pulled out parchment, ink and a fine, red, feather quill. She propped her potions textbook against her scrunched up jumped and turned it to page 134 - the page on the properties of mandrake. Then she retrieved the almost-finished essay from her bag.

James, seeing her doing homework that was due in the very next lesson gasped. She looked up to see his startled look and smirked. Lily Evans actually smirked. James nearly fainted; maybe he was rubbing off on her.

"What?" She asked him when he continued to stare at her.

"But! Potions is your favourite subject! You love Slughorn – he's your favourite teacher. You're a member of his little 'slug club!'" James burst out. It was Lily's turn to look startled. She couldn't believe he knew this much about her.

"Yes, but I'm not always the good girl you think I am. Sometimes, I like to have time off, when I shouldn't, which means doing an essay at the last minute." Lily told him, serenely, pretending to correct a sentence in her essay while sneaking peaks at his face. His eyes were lost in thought.

Several minutes passed with the only sound made by either of them was the scratching of Lily's quill.

Eventually, James found his voice.

"You're incredible." Lily's breath caught in her chest and she raised her eyes to look at his hazel ones. She mentally shook herself before answering.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're not the strict, bossy-boots I thought you were." He scoffed. The two of them laughed quietly, trying not to anger the strict librarian.

"Nice, James. And you wonder why I won't go out with you!" Lily fought back, still giggling.

"Hey, I've given you plenty of reasons to go out with me, but you still say no." Lily smiled at him, knowing that keeping quiet could be just as infuriating as answering him.

The two continued to work after a stern look from Madam Pince. Lily finished her essay and moved on to one for charms, which luckily was not due in until next week. James had only just started his essay for Slughorn.

They continued working right up to the bell. Lily gathered her things as James continued to scratch out his conclusion. Kindly, Lily gathered his things for him and dumped them into his bag.

"Finished." James declared. He looked up to see Lily waiting with his bag. "Thanks." He murmured, gazing at her. A blush crept onto her cheeks.

"Come on. We'll be late."

"Always the good girl." James chortled, but grabbed her hand and started running anyway. He held her hand all the way down the stone steps to the dungeons. The two paused briefly for breath and walked into the classroom.

Their classmates were still preparing themselves as they walked in. James dropped Lily's hand and Lily found herself, unreasonably, missing the warmth of his fingers.

"Just in time Potter, Evans. S'pose I'll let you off this time." Slughorn chortled at his favourite student and her companion as they took their seats. Sylvia raised a fine, blonde eyebrow at Lily. Lily ignored her and took out her scales and set up her cauldron.

They were to prepare a mandrake draught from the mandrakes they had prepared in Herbology. "The instructions can be found on page 135 of your books." Slughorn called to the class.

Soon the room was filled with the usual scents and steam. Lily pulled her hair back into a messy bun and began brewing. She looked over at Severus and shot him a smile when he looked over. They hardly spoke anymore. He smiled back and returned to making notes in his book – he always found little shortcuts for making potions.

An hour later, Lily filled a vial with her potion, fairly sure she had done well. She might even be graded and Exceeds Expectations. Severus, likewise, was hopeful of a high grade. James wasn't very hopeful, but at least he hadn't done as badly as Frank Longbottom who worked the other side of Peter. Frank was normally very good, but he had been too busy trying to help Peter with his cauldron full of a toxic green liquid that his had been stewed too long.

"Now, these potions will mature and we'll see how you've done in a week. Class dismissed." Slughorn called and the sweaty fifth years traipsed out of the room and towards the grounds for care of magical creatures where they could only expect to get messier.

Lily was glad when lessons were over and she could take a long, warm shower and escape James' watchful eye. James had spent care of magical creature ignoring his bowtruckle and drawing a detailed picture of a red headed girl instead.

**Well? REVIEW PLEASE! xx**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter four – of Quidditch, haunted houses and pumpkins

Lily awoke on All Hallows Eve with the level of excitement associated with a forthcoming Hogsmede trip. With thoughts of butterbeer, Honeydukes and friends Lily dressed in a warm purple jumper and black skinny jeans (Wizards and witches are always the height of fashion, even if skinnys didn't exist then, I don't know if they did or not). She had had her ears pierced last summer so she added silver spider web earrings for the holiday.

She, Sylvia and Marlene headed down to breakfast to find Alice, Harriet and Hestia already there. The girls chatted amiably and then headed out into the cool autumn air. They ambled down the path and out of the boar gates. Red, gold and brown leaves stirred in the breeze, dancing around the girls as they walked.

First the girls headed for Honeydukes, the sweetshop to stock up on sugar for the long day of shopping, gossiping and relaxing. When they exited the packed shop, their moneybags much lighter, they saw the four marauders exiting Zonkos – never a good sign.

Ignoring the boys, determined to enjoy their day, the six girls headed up to the shrieking shack, as was their Halloween tradition. The building had been vacant for many, many years, but in the last few years there had been many rumours about the place being viciously haunted. The girls stood at the top of the hillside, gazing at the shack and trying to detect signs of the ghosts – Harriet was an amateur ghost hunter.

The shack was old, decrepit and appeared to move in the wind. The windows no longer held glass, but held planks of wood instead. Even from a distance it gave you the chills.

The cool wind toyed with the hair of the girls, but it was not the cold that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. All six of them felt the inexplicable sense of being watched, simultaneously. Whimpering to each other, they all turned to see what was behind them.

Nothing. It was just a blank landscape, filled with trees and autumn flowers, but no ghosts – not that they could see.

"Ahhhhh!" Marlene screamed. Lily's heart pounded frantically in her chest at her friend's scream. Five of the girls had been grabbed from behind, leaving only Lily free to raise her wand.

She pointed her wand at each of the five people in turn and then breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness." She whispered, clutching her heart.

"Ha, gotcha." Sirius mocked. All five of the boys got a slap from their captor.

"Why?" Lily asked James, a little confused as to why he didn't grab her; he always took every opportunity to grab her hand.

"To see the look on your faces!" Sirius guffawed.

Unexpectedly, Lily leapt at James and began pounding her fists on his chest.

"I can't believe you did that! You scared me half to death you arrogant pain in the arse! You could have been Death Eaters! I could have hexed you!" She screamed at him.

"Woah, Evans." Sirius soothed.

"Oh!" She screamed, flying at him and pounding every inch of him she could. "You're no better. It was probably your idea! That. Was. So. Not. Funny." She punctuated each word with a punch.

James reached his arms around Lily and grabbed each of her fists in his hands. "Shhh." He soothed. "I'm sorry, Lily-flower." He whispered in her ear.

Slowly the anger seeped out of Lily. She looked around at her friends who were all grinning at her outburst. Peter looked like he had newfound respect for Lily. Remus was grinning and Sirius was staring at her as if she had just mutated into a crumple-horned snorklack (the existence of which was continually insisted upon them by a fourth year by the name of Xenophilius Lovegood). Lily turned to face James to see a red mark where she'd slapped his face.

"Sorry." She mumbled. "You have no idea how much you frightened me." She glanced through her lashes up at James to see he, at least, looked repentant.

The wind was growing colder every minute the eleven of them stood there, recovering from Lily's outburst.

"Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" Alice suggested.

The group nodded and headed together to the pub down in the main village. The eleven of them: Remus, Sirius, Peter, James, Frank, Alice, Harriet, Hestia, Sylvia, Marlene and Lily grouped together on two tables after James and Sirius made a polite request of Madam Rosmerta.

"Thanks, Rosmerta." James and Sirius said sincerely.

"No problem, me dears. You are my most loyal customers (and my favourites, too, just don't tell the others)." Rosmerta chuckled to the two troublemakers.

Lily grinned at the barmaid's comment and the curvy Madam turned to her.

"Hmm, green eyes, red hair – you must be the lovely Lily." Lily nodded, blushing.

"Don't believe a word about the lovely part, Rosmerta, she just beat me up!" Sirius muttered darkly, but joking all the same.

"Now, Sirius, why don't I believe you?" Rosmerta chuckled and handed them eleven butterbeers. Sirius handed over the cash, sulking and Lily smiled and childishly stuck her tongue out at Sirius when Rosmerta wasn't looking. Sirius looked quite shocked by her behaviour.

The eleven of them sat chatting and slurping butterbeer until it was time to return to the castle. They said cheery goodbyes to the barmaid and headed up to the school together.

They entered the Great Hall to see the usual giant pumpkins and clouds of live bats, ready for tomorrow. They fell into their seats; faces still tinged pink from the cold air and laughter. The girls sat gossiping late into the night about the events of the day and the possibilities of tomorrows match.

XXX

Halloween morning dawned cloudy and cold, but not wet. Breakfast was the usual tense affair until the two captains called for their teams to head down to the pitch. Lily, along with her fellow Griffindors, sported the custoMarlene scarlet and gold scarf and hat. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement and her ivory cheeks were tinged pink by the cold air.

"And they're off!" The commentator called. The commentator was a tall Ravenclaw fourth year that Lily didn't know. The old commentator, Lee Jordan (senior), had left the previous year; he had been very good, too.

James flew high above the game, circling for the glint of gold that gave away the snitch's position. Lily gasped along with the crowd as bludgers narrowly avoided flesh and goal after goal was denied. Eventually, one of the Griffindor chasers broke through.

"Boot scores. Ten, zero to GRIFFINDOR!" The Ravenclaw shouted. Boos erupted from the green clad section of the stadium.

The plays circled above like large, oddly coloured birds of prey. The quaffle moved so fast from player to player that the commentator often only had time to shout the names of the players. As the score increased, the game got dirtier and dirtier.

"The score is seventy to forty in favour of Griffindor." The commentator called over the magically enhanced megaphone. The Griffindors cheers drowned out the boos from Slytherin.

Shortly after the crowd went deadly quiet. Smelting, one of the Griffindor chasers was facing the game and unaware of the bludgers spinning towards him. Before the crowd could do anything, Mulciber, a Slytherin beater, added fuel to the fire by whacking the other bludger towards the poor chaser. Smelting, to the crowd's horror was hit by the first in the middle of his back. The second hit him in the stomach, winding him. He fell.

Lily screamed as she watched the unconscious third year's body fall. James and another of the Griffindor chasers caught him, only feet before he hit the ground. The entire stadium let out a breath they didn't know they had been holding. The Slytherins cheered as the boy was carried off on a stretcher.

The game restarted and everyone seemed anxious to see it finished quickly. Clouds were gathering above. They looked dark and ominous.

"One hundred and twenty to seventy." The subdued commentator called.

James still circled the pitch, high above the rest, searching for the snitch. The Slytherin seeker had decided to tail him, rather than search for himself.

Suddenly the crowd were on their feet as they saw the two seekers diving for the ground. Hundreds of feet below, Lily could see the glint of gold they were chasing. The two streaked, side by side, towards the ground. James was ahead. Then the green blur was ahead. Then James again. Lily could barely watch.

In seconds it was all over. James had the golden winged ball clutched in his fist and the Slytherin team flew, dejected, to the ground again.

"Griffindor WIN! Final score is two hundred and seventy to seventy."

The Griffindor supporters swarmed onto the pitch, cheering with delight. The crowd carried their team back to the common room where they partied until the feast. James smiled at his teammates. He was a very proud captain.

The smell of baked pumpkin pie wafted up to them from the kitchens as they entered the Great Hall. They sat down in a large group and Lily found herself squashed between Sylvia and James. Lily saw, a little way down the table, the poor third year Griffindor chaser surrounded by a knot of zealous well wishers.

Dumbledore called for silence when everyone was seated. The Griffindor table were last to quieten.

"Yes, yes. Well-done Griffindor. Now, may I advise you to tuck into our marvellous feast? Happy Halloween."

The golden plates were suddenly filled with all the student's favourite Halloween foods. Lily helped herself to pumpkin pie and a good glass of pumpkin juice. James, beside her, was scoffing his face as if he had not eaten in weeks. Sirius was doing the same.

"Must you act like pigs?" Marlene asked from beside Sirius.

Sirius and James shared a look and then said simultaneously, with full mouths too, "Yes." The surrounding people laughed at their antics and Peter had to be clapped on the back by Remus for he nearly chocked trying to laugh and eat at the same time.

By the time the Griffindors got back to the common room they were all too tired and full of good food to throw another party, so instead, they called out cheery goodnights and tottered upstairs to their warm beds.

From her bed Lily said, "This has been a good weekend." She yawned widely.

"Yeah, it has." Yawned Sylvia.

"Sirius is hot." Murmured Marlene.

"What?" The other five girls asked, sitting up and wide awake again for the moment.

"What? It's true. I didn't say I fancy him though, did I?" The five girls agreed and lay back down. Lily looked out at the stars and thought ruefully that James was quite good looking, but then again, he was a troublemaker and she most certainly did not fancy him.


	6. Chapter 5

**Hello all. Thanks for the reviews :) They really spur me on in writing! Fanfiction has changed the layout and when I just logged on I was like "aaah. wtf?" It had me a little confused. Anyways, here's the next chapter - should be fun. Enjoy! :) x**

Chapter five – moonlight wanderings

Lily was doing her usual patrol of the corridors at nine o'clock, just before bed. Remus was ill tonight so he couldn't join her. The halls of the castle were spooky when walking them alone in the dark. Every shadow became more frightening, every ghost became a mass murderer and every sound was far louder in the ears of Lily Evans when she walked those halls alone.

Breathing deeply, Lily paused at one of the large windows to look out over the grounds. She was turning away when she saw it. Movement. She looked back and saw nothing but the whomping willow. She must have imagined it or it may even have been the tree itself.

She turned again, but saw two figures walking across the grass: Remus and Madam Pomfrey. What were they doing? Where were they going? Lily watched as they headed up to the wild, badly tempered tree. They each glanced around them and Lily shrank back a little so they wouldn't see her. Then they disappeared, just like a puff of smoke.

Lily's eyes raked the ground, but she couldn't see them anywhere. Maybe they had apparated? Remus couldn't have apparated alone, so perhaps that wsa why Madam Pomfrey had disappeared too. Minutes later Madam Pomfrey could be seen returning to the castle. Alone.

Lily pondered over the meaning of this. Remus had been fine yesterday. Was he ill? Probably, Lily thought. Remus was often ill and disappeared for a few days each month due to…each month? For a moment Lily thought that Remus might be … but no, he couldn't. Dumbledore wasn't _that_ mad.

Lily glanced at the moon that hung in the sky. It was spherical, like a crystal ball.

Lily stood in the window watching the grounds when she saw three more figures crossing the grounds. The moon had come out now and Lily could see them clearly. It was James, Sirius and Peter. So, the marauders had some plan. Lily had thought they were growing out of this.

She headed back to bed, promising herself that she would see the marauders tomorrow and confront them.

XXX

The next morning Lily woke up, slight bags under her eyes from her restless sleep. She had had many, strange dreams. Well, doing her dream diary for divination would be interesting. Lily hurried down to breakfast and she saw a tired and ill looking Remus picking at his bacon. Beside him a tired looking Peter, Sirius and James sat munching. They were sitting far too quietly.

She strode down the isle between the Hufflepuff and Griffindor tables and plopped herself down next to James.

"Morning, Lily-flower." James yawned.

"Why so tired James?" She asked, innocently.

"Dunno. Must've slept badly or something." He stifled another yawn behind his hand.

"Or something." Lily muttered darkly, dropping her voice.

"What?" Asked Remus, alarmed, but trying to hide his concern.

"I saw you four heading across the grounds last night. What is it that your up to?" Lily demanded.

"Trust me, Evans, you don't want to know." Sirius growled. Then he turned and whispered something in James' ear about having to use a cloak next time.

"I could've just turned you in, you know. It would be nice to clue me in. Is this about Remus being a werewolf?" Lily asked. She didn't know what it was that made her ask, except their guilty faces and Remus' fear.

"Don't know what you talking about." Sirius replied, nonchalantly, but Lily could see the shock and fear on each of the four faces.

"Well, in that case, I guess you won't mind if I head down to the whomping willow next month?" She asked, wanting a rise out of James.

"NO!" James shouted, drawing the attention of several people walking past them.

"Shhh, James, you twit!" Remus scolded.

"She's not going anywhere near the willow! Not only will she get ripped to shreds by the tree, you know what'll happen!" James sounded nearly tearful.

Lily watched the silent communication running between the four. She was fascinated how they could do that. Simple looks, expressions and movements and they could have a whole conversation. Peter seemed to be the only one not interested. Or perhaps, it was that he didn't work on the same wavelength. He had always been the odd one out.

Finally they seemed to reach a decision. The four of them stood and James grabbed Lily's wrist and dragged her past her friends and out of the Great Hall.

"Hey. Let go." Lily whined, twisting to escape James' firm, but gentle grip.

"You wanted to know." He whispered. He led her to a broom closet and pulled her inside. With the five of them squished in, Peter locked the door using a paperclip – the muggle way.

"Well?" Asked Lily. She didn't like these dark, cramped conditions. She was practically on James' lap.

"I think we're getting too big for this, guys." Sirius chuckled. "Peter, give us a bit more room, will you?" Suddenly the closet was one person less full, but the door hadn't opened. Grateful, Lily slid off James' lap.

"Okay." Remus sighed. "You're right." Lily gasped. She had not been expecting this at all. "I was bitten when I was just a child. Dumbledore is the only headmaster stupid enough to take me." Remus sounded depressed, tired and far older than he actually was.

"So that's why you're called Moony!" Lily wondered.

"Yes."

"But the rest of you aren't werewolves, are you?" Lily whispered.

"No. But wait, you're not afraid of Moony?" James asked.

"No. Why should I be?" Lily asked.

"Er, that's a little obvious." Peter squeaked. Lily jumped. She had forgotten he was still in here. His voice sounded incredibly high pitched. Perhaps it was finally breaking, a sign that their immaturity might soon be left behind.

"No, it was the full moon yesterday. Why should I be scared now?"

"Thank you Lily." Remus sounded truly grateful he'd found someone else he could rely on.

"So, why were you all out there?"

"Well, we thought Moony could use some company." Sirius said in his usual bark.

"WHAT?" Lily screeched. Then she remembered herself. "I'm sorry, but what?" Her voice still sounded a little hysterical.

"He's only a danger to humans." James said as if this solved everything.

Lily moved her hand and touched James' chest and then stroked his cheek.

"Lily? Not that I mind, but what are you…?" James asked.

"You feel human to me." Lily told him.

"Think about our nicknames, Lily." James said, holding her hand to his face.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs." She whispered.

"Yeah." Sirius whispered back.

"I don't get it." She whispered, frowning in the darkness.

"What were we learning about in transfiguration yesterday?" Peter asked out of the blue.

"About, about…animagi?" Lily said in wonderment.

"Hi." Peter squeaked, raising his ratty face to her. In the chink of light from under the door Lily could see him. She squealed and backed into James. James laughed.

"So you're scared of the rat, but not the werewolf?" He chuckled. Lily whacked him.

"Let's get this over with." Sirius chuckled and suddenly Lily was nose to nose with a big, black shaggy animal. The space was very confined now. He was a dog.

"I get Padfoot now." Lily said as Sirius changed back. "I always knew you were a bitch. And it explains the dog breath." Lily mocked. James gasped.

"What?" Lily frowned.

"Lily Evans! Did you just say a bad word?" He gasped in fake horror.

"I guess you're wearing off on me. Prongs?" The last part was a question.

"Well, I can't change in this space, but I'm a stag." He whispered in her ear. A shiver went down her spine and she later told herself it was fear, not the feel of him so close that caused the shiver.

"Well." Said Sirius, with the air of someone who had just finished a boring meeting. He picked up the paperclip from the dusty stone floor and slid it into the lock.

A click and the five of them, all human again, toppled out of the broom cupboard and collapsed in a heap on the floor at a pair of feet with tartan robes billowing around them.

"Ahem."

"Hello professor." Said Sirius cheerfully as if this were a normal, everyday occurrence.

"Do I want to know?" She asked, her lips a thin line, but twitching at the sight of the five of them sprawled out on the floor.

"Not really, professor." James admitted and they all scrambled to their feet and up the staircase to charms before she could say another word.

McGonagall watched them go, the smile finally gracing her lips as she shook her head in slight frustration and amusement.

The four boys followed Lily up the stairs, their footsteps echoing slightly in the quiet corridors. They were a few minutes late, but Lily didn't mind. She thought the trip to the cupboard had been useful. At least the moonlight wanderings were explained, Lily thought as she entered the classroom.

**Well there's another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.**

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	7. Chapter 6

Chapter six – Christmas wishes

October ended and soon November faded into December. With it, December brought snow and the temperature dropped, icicles forming on the window ledges of the castle.

At breakfast one morning a tawny owl swooped in with another hundred or so, taking a direct route to Lily. She raised her head when James nudged her, the red hair cascading down her back.

The owl screeched, landing on Peter's bacon, and clipped its beak impatiently. For some reason the bird reminded Lily of her sister.

She tore open the envelope, revealing clean white paper written on with biro, rather than the normal parchment and ink. The signature confirmed Lily's beliefs – Petunia had written to her for the first time since Lily's first year.

"Lily," It read.

"It's the Christmas holidays soon and I wanted to write to you about something important. You see; I've met someone. His name is Vernon and I really like him. I hope you're happy for me because what I'm going to ask you next is not going to please you.

"Well, the thing I wanted to ask you was if you could stay at home for these holidays? I want to introduce Vernon to mum and dad, but I don't want you and your weirdness interfering with it. Could you do that?

"You see, I love him Lily. He's everything a man ought to be. He is intelligent, well built, handsome…" The letter continued on in this vein for a while and the last few sentences brought tears to Lily's eyes.

"I hope one day you'll understand why I asked this, if you ever meet someone. Please don't come home – it'll make my Christmas really special, not to mention normal.

"Petunia."

Lily looked at the letter, moisture collecting in the corners of her eyes. It was lucky she was an early riser as not many people were in The Great Hall. James, an early riser too, witnessed her hasty escape.

Lily, locked in the girls' bathroom, let the tears flow as she asked herself several of the questions that were mulling around her head. Why would her sister do this? How could her sister do this?

"Hey." A voice, not belonging to the girls' bathroom said.

Lily whipped around, the green eyes narrowing. "What are you doing in here?" She asked, intending the words to be harsh, but her voice broke.

The hazel eyes searched hers and then the dark-haired boy slowly came closer to her. He didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms around her and let her tears soak his sweater.

"S-sorry." Lily finally whispered, looking up into his face.

"Don't be. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"Not really." She returned, her cheeks tinged red with embarrassment for her outburst.

"That's cool. I'm always here, flower, if you want to talk." He told her, wiping tears from beneath her eyes.

Lily giggled. "Maybe you're finally growing up." She teased.

"Me? Grow up? Never!" He promised and Lily giggled again, splashing her face with cool water from the tap.

"You're right." She told him and then walked out of the bathroom. She looked each way, like a muggle about to cross the road, and then turned and motioned to James that all was clear.

The two of them walked in awkward silence back to the Great Hall and sat several seats away from each other, neither of them eating their food. Their friends observed their strange behaviour with sly smiles and raised eyebrows.

Then James, Lily, Remus, Sylvia, Harriet, Marlene and Sirius headed off to potions. Severus, on the opposite side of the hall headed towards the dungeons too. Peter slouched off on his own, to God knows where because he didn't show up to potions.

The seven of the Griffindors entered the cold, stone classroom together. Professor Slughorn trotted over to them and smiled benignly at them.

"Lily, I was wondering if you'd be interested in a little Christmas party of mine?" He asked.

"Er, well, er." Lily stammered. She thought to herself that it would be a good distraction from her letter.

"You and all of your friends would be welcome." The plump man smiled at the group with a twinkling eye and rosy cheeks.

"We'd be delighted to, sir." Sirius said in a pompous tone and Marlene shot him a stern look and then stifled laughter.

"Good, good." Slughorn chortled and then turned to teach the class as the last stragglers headed through the door.

"We've been recruited to the Slug club!" James laughed.

"Yes!" Sirius cheered, winking at Marlene. She blushed and slapped his arm, but smiled when she thought nobody was looking. Lily caught the exchange though. She wondered that she had not noticed the attraction of the two of them sooner. They were perfect for each other.

Slughorn called the class to order.

"Today, everyone, we shall be attempting to brew amortentia for I believe you to be an excellent class, more than capable of the challenge!" His gruff voice called.

The class set about preparing the potion and Lily used the normal noise and chaos to talk to Marlene.

"You and Sirius, eh?" She asked, chopping leaves and roots into fine shreds.

Marlene blinked up at Lily with a forced face of innocence. "What?" She asked, but her voice shot up an octave – a classic sign of Marlene in denial.

The two girls had a hushed argument and soon the double period was over. Lily transferred some of her potion to a flask and presented it to Slughorn.

"Excellent as usual." He commented. Severus, inevitably, had produced the perfect potion. Lily glanced back at the Griffindor table and saw the marauders in deep discussion. James glanced up and smiled sheepishly at Lily. Lily blushed at being caught staring and turned away. Those boys were up to something.

She marched back to her desk and gathered her things discreetly. She caught enough of the conversation to understand the whispering.

"Sirius. You don't need a love potion. She likes you." Lily whispered conspiratorially and gave Sirius a wink before whipping out of the classroom.

…

Later that evening the girls lay in bed, all awake, yet not talking – confined by their own thoughts.

"He likes you, you know, Marlene." Lily said out of the blue.

"Who?" Marlene asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Sirius."

"Ooh." The girls chorused and Marlene blushed again.

"What about you and James?" Sylvia asked.

"There's nothing there and you know it." Lily huffed to general amusement.

"Okay, what's everyone's Christmas wish, not their desired present, but their Christmas wish?" Alice asked, always the philosophical one and clearly trying to break up the inevitable argument.

"I wish…that a handsome mop-haired boy would sweep me off my feet." Marlene sighed.

"Predictable." Alice scoffed.

"World peace?" Harriet suggested.

"Nice, but very general."

"That I could finally get an E in potions." Sylvia sighed.

"That I could become an auror." Hestia announced.

"You always say that, Jones!" Marlene laughed.

"Well, I wish that I could spend the holiday with Frank, but I have to go home – I leave after Slughorn's party." Alice sighed.

"Who's actually staying this year?" Lily asked.

"Me and Harriet." Said Marlene.

"Cool." Lily whispered to the room. "I'm staying too." She told them. They hadn't discussed the letter yet.

"You are? Why?" Demanded Harriet. Harriet had always been secretly jealous of how close Lily and her parents were. She, like Sirius, had grown apart from her family since being at Hogwarts.

"My sister doesn't want me there." Lily mumbled.

"Oh, Lily." The collective commiserating sigh went up and suddenly there were five other girls on Lily's bed, brushing through her hair, comforting her and generally making a fuss.

"I'm fine, guys. She's never really come to terms with my being magical." Lily admitted and the others nodded.

After an hour or so of more gossip the girls retired to bed. Lily smiled into her pillow as she thought about what she would have concealed had her friends asked her about her Christmas wish.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter seven – an exciting last week

The holidays drew closer and closer. The snow circled the castle in drifts and icicles clung to the window ledges. The Black Lake had frozen entirely over – an event no one could remember happening ever before. The first years worried about the Giant Squid, caught beneath the surface, but Dumbledore assured them that the squid would be perfectly fine.

The decorations appeared and someone snuck into the prefects' bathroom to decorate it with mistletoe, enchanted snow and candles, trees and bells. Lily walked into the bathroom just as he was finishing.

"Really, James? Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, really, flower, really." He smiled and took a step towards her, concealing something behind his back and a wicked smile stretched across his face.

"James?" Lily asked, worried. "Potter?" She panicked and began to back off, until her back was pressed against the cold, tile wall and James was only a few feet from her, still advancing.

"Yes, Lily?" He asked sweetly.

"What are you…" In answer, James revealed the object behind his back; mistletoe.

"James!" Lily complained.

"There's no way out of it, Lily. You'll have to kiss me." He grinned at his own genius.

Lily groaned in frustration, continuing to try and escape.

James eyes sparkled as he moved closer still, the mistletoe held above his head. Two feet, one foot…his chest pressed against hers and she seemed to melt into the wall in an attempt to evade him, yet a part of her knew that she wanted this.

Her eyes slid closed only a second after his. She felt his breath fan across her face as his lips came closer. His lips pressed against hers. They were soft and gentle. Lily remained passive, refusing to give him any encouragement and refusing to give in to that part of her brain that wanted to wrap her arms around him.

James' fingers reached up to her cheek, sweeping across the smooth, soft skin and causing Lily's heart to flutter and her stomach flip. James tasted sweet.

Then he pulled away.

Lily's eyes fluttered open and found his smiling face only inches from hers, his eyes still closed.

James' eyes opened slowly and took in her startled expression.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" He asked, taking her hand in his and stroking the back of her palm with his thumb.

Lily squeaked something unintelligible, trying to reassemble her scrambled thoughts. Had she liked kissing James Arrogant Bullying-Toerag Potter?

Remus chose that moment to enter the bathroom.

"Wow." His voice echoed around the room. The two of them leapt apart and saw Remus admiring the decorations. "Who did this?" He asked, looking at Lily and taking in her blush.

She pointed at James, who was still looking at Lily.

"Cool, James." Remus complimented. The room fell silent and an awkward tension filled the air.

"So, I was just going." Lily announced and hurried out of the room.

"James, what did you do?" Remus sighed as soon as the door shut behind her.

"It was amazing, Moony." He sighed, staring at the point where her red hair had whipped out of sight.

"James." Remus reprimanded.

"I can't help it. You know I can't. I love her." James sighed, still in a trance-like state.

Moony helpfully slapped him round the face and dragged him back to the common room.

…

Two days later, it was the end of term and a number of the Hogwarts students would be disappearing home on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. The Griffindor fifth year girl's room was alight with excitement, that afternoon after lessons finished, with preparations for Slughorn's party that night.

The girls were choosing dresses to wear. The boys would be in dress robes.

Sylvia went for light silvery blue, floor length number, Harriet wore a pink, floaty dress that complimented her skin tone, Marlene went for a royal blue colour with a plunging neckline, Hestia decided on a simple black dress and Alice chose a simple purple dress that came to just below the knee.

Lily slipped into a red dress, nearly the colour of her hair, which was strapless and hugged her curves, flaring out at the waist and finishing at knee length.

"Wow. Don't we look stunning?" Sylvia giggled.

"Let's knock 'em dead girls." Hestia joked.

The six girls stepped down the stone stairs with trepidation, given that their heels were nearly high enough to be deadly.

Several mouths dropped as they walked through the common room and out of the portrait hole.

"Well, that was fun." Alice smiled, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. They headed down to the dungeons to a classroom that had been appropriated and decorated for the dance.

As soon as they arrived they saw the dance was for fifth years and above. Groups of people were already dancing wildly to a loud band that was blaring out from some kind of speaker system, or maybe it was the walls itself. A knot of admirers, including some famous faces, surrounded Slughorn, who was dressed in a jade jacket and smoking a wizard cigar.

Alice was soon stolen away by Frank. To the surprise of everyone, except, perhaps, Lily, Harriet was soon taken by Remus to a quieter corner of the room and they were seen to be gazing into each other's eyes lovingly. Sirius mimicked vomiting.

"Shut up, it's sweet." Marlene scolded, wishing that Sirius would ask her to dance, but he never caught on to that.

Since the bathroom incident Lily and James had hardly spoken. Whenever they saw each other they would simply blush and turn away. Remus was the only one who knew and he faithfully kept the secret for them.

For Lily and James the night was increasingly awkward, especially when they found themselves alone together at the refreshment table.

"So."

"So."

"Er, Lily, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you." James admitted.

"You're saying sorry? The James Potter, saying sorry?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." He muttered, looking away from her.

He caught a glimpse of Severus who looked to be enjoying the apparent awkwardness between them.

"You look great tonight, by the way." He said, turning back to her and admiring her dress.

"Thanks." She muttered, blushing like the girl she was.

Severus walked up to them, then.

"Wanna dance?" He asked Lily.

Lily looked surprised, glanced at James and nodded, still looking at him. It was as if she were wishing he had asked the question.

"Cool." Severus said, dragging her to the dance floor, leaving a dejected James by the sidelines.

…

Later that evening the Griffindors were returning to the common room together, tired and exhausted, but on a high from the great night. James fell behind the rest, pulling Lily with him.

"What?" Lily asked confused.

"I wish you hadn't danced with him." He said. He qualified, "Severus," when she continued to look puzzled.

"It's not up to you who I dance with." She growled, glaring at him.

"He's evil."

"Sev is not evil!" Lily screeched, pulling away from him. James grabbed her arm and turned her back to him.

"Lils, he fancies you, adores you, nearly as much as I do, so he can't be all bad – got good taste, in fact, but you've seen who he hangs out with." James argued. Lily said nothing, knowing that he was voicing fears that she herself had thought about many times.

She sighed. "Sev is not evil." She repeated. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight." She turned, but he pulled her back once more. He placed a light kiss on her forehead and whispered, "goodnight, flower. Sweet dreams." Before letting her make her way to bed. She was still first up to bed, Alice and Harriet and apparently Marlene too, were occupied with their guys and Sylvia had found herself a friend tonight too. Only Hestia was in the common room as Lily slouched past.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter eight – Best gift ever

Lily woke on Christmas morning to find a pile of gifts at her feet. Harriet and Marlene were still asleep so she tiptoed to the bathroom before returning to her presents. Her first Christmas at Hogwarts!

She returned to find the other two ripping paper off their gifts.

"Morning." She yawned. "Merry Christmas." She handed them each a package of similar size. She had got jewellery for all her friends this year. Chocolate for the boys.

"Merry Christmas, Lily." They replied.

Lily sat on her bed and folded her legs under her. She clasped the top gift in her hand and carefully unwrapped it.

Lily received huge numbers of sweets from Peter, Sirius, Hestia and Marlene. She got a lovely new quill from Harriet, a book from Remus, a new pair of shoes from Sylvia (very fashionable too), jewellery from her parents, a card from her sister with a note saying her gift was letting her stay at her school, which made Lily sad and another book from Alice. There was just one gift left.

Lily opened the final gift and a lovely pearl necklace tumbled out and a note.

"Who loves you more?" The note was made out of newspaper cuttings. Could it be Severus? Or was it James?

Lily walked, puzzling over the present, down the stairs to the common room with Harriet and Marlene.

When she got down a wonderful surprise met her eyes.

The fire was roaring and on a coffee table was a miniature breakfast feast. James, Remus and Sirius sat there, in their pyjamas, like the girls, with mugs of hot chocolate.

James smiled at Lily and patted the carpet beside him.

He handed her a steaming mug of hot chocolate, which she accepted.

The six of them sat talking and laughing and comparing gifts, until their attention was drawn to the window. Fresh snow was falling, on top of that which had fallen last night. The two snowfalls had replaced the snow depleted by the number of snowball fights that Hogwarts had seen since the first snowfall.

It was Sirius who suggested they fight and he who suggested the teams. Sirius and Marlene, Lily and James and Remus and Harriet. The three teams had five minutes to find or build a fort and then war would begin.

James took Lily's gloved hand in his and dragged her over by the greenhouses. He pointed his wand at a mound of snow, cleared by Hagrid, and moulded it into the shape of a fort. Lily smiled mischievously and ducked behind it, forming snowballs.

"Ready?" She asked James once the five minutes was up. She had seen Sirius heading behind Hagrid's hut and she was determined to get him.

"Ready." James nodded.

The two sneaked off, holding a few snowballs each. They tiptoed around the edge of the hut, hoping to sneak behind their friends.

"Argh!" James yelled as a pile of wet, white mush slapped him in the face. Lily looked at his startled expression and heard a bark of laughter from the edge of the Forest. Sirius stood there, clutching his stomach while Marlene stood tossing another snowball in their direction.

"Look out." James called, wrestling Lily to the ground just in time.

The two of them laughed and then bewitched their snowballs to fire repeatedly at the enemy while they ran for the cover of their fort.

Attracted by the yell and laughter Remus and Harriet had snuck behind Sirius and dumped a pile of snow down the back of his coat.

"Ah! That's c-cold!" He screeched, turning on his attackers. Lily giggled and dived into their fort.

"Well, that wasn't all that successful." James noted, wiping snow off his glasses now they were safe.

"Nope." Lily laughed.

"Oooh. You laughing at me Evans?" James teased.

Lily nodded.

"Oh, you're gonna get it." James growled, leaping at her.

The two of them crashed through the south wall of their fort, being buried beneath the snow.

"You know." James whispered. "If we stay here they can't get us."

"But it's cold." Lily complained. James cast a charm around them, protecting them from the cold. Their fort now resembled a misshapen igloo.

"So."

"So."

"Kinda cosy in here."

"James." Lily warned.

"Fine."

The chatter paused as they heard the enemy close by outside.

"Where are they?" Sirius' voice called.

"Well, looks like their fort is wrecked." Marlene replied.

"Ah, well. Let's go hunt for them." Their crunchy footsteps slowly faded.

James grinned at Lily.

"Well, we're a lot better at camouflage." He noted.

Lily smiled at him, a strand of her red hair tickling her cheek where it had fallen out of her ponytail.

James reached his hand up and tucked it behind her ear.

"Why won't you love me?" He asked, serious.

"Because you're an arrogant, bullying toerag." She giggled. He looked hurt, so she added, "but less so recently." James smiled hopefully.

"Hey, Lily, I er, got you something." He said. So the necklace had been from Severus. "Here."

He fished something out of his pocket.

Lily unwrapped the gift to see a box, which she opened to find the most beautiful charm bracelet she had ever seen. It was delicate, intertwined ribbons of silver and from it hung three charms. One was a flower, a lily. One was a heart. And the last was the most special of all. The third was a stag and a doe, frozen in silver, galloping together.

"Your patronus is a doe, right?" James asked.

"How did you know what shape it took?" She asked, still gazing at the two deer.

"Professor Flitwick." He laughed, quietly. Severus' gift was nice, and clearly expensive, especially since he had no money, but James' had so much thought in it. She puzzled over Severus' words, "Who loves you more?"

"James." She answered her thought.

"Mmm?" He asked, looking at her face, puzzling over the emotions that flickered across it.

"Er, thanks." She smiled, blushing as she finally met his gaze.

She suddenly realised something.

"You get me the most amazing gift, and all I got you was chocolate." She murmured, embarrassed.

"I don't mind." He said, earnestly. Lily realised how cramped it was in their caved in fort. They were crouched just inches from each other. Lily sat down and crossed her legs, allowing her to straighten her neck, but the movement meant her knee brushed against James'. Shocks went through her. What did this mean?

Lily got an idea, but hardly dared to contemplate it. She acted before her mind could convince her that this was a bad idea.

Lily leaned forward and kissed James, full on the lips for barely a second.

James smiled.

"Best gift ever." They both said.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter nine – Awkward moments

Lily headed up to the prefects' bathroom to take a shower once the snowball fight officially ended. She heard someone enter behind her; James, laughing with Remus. James' decorations were still adorning the room.

Lily stepped out of the shower, thankfully warm again, and wrapped herself in her towel and then her dressing gown.

Once she was dry and dressed she headed back towards the Tower. She rounded a corner and came face to face with Remus.

"Oops. Sorry." They each murmured as they bumped into each other.

They tried to step back, but found something holding them. A few whispers grew into more as Lily and Remus looked up simultaneously.

"Oh, dear."

"Damn it!"

Sirius was giggling like a drain and James looked fit to break something. Several wolf whistles rose from the surrounding crowd that had gathered.

"How do we get out of this?" Lily asked, being muggleborn.

"It's magic mistletoe – you have to kiss to get out." Sirius replied gleefully. A few first years giggled.

"No." Moaned Lily, her face like a tomato.

"No way out of it."

"Fine." Lily leant forwards, kissed Remus on the cheek and stepped away, only to be forced back to Remus' side.

"What?" She demanded of the mistletoe, which wheezed mocking laughter at the situation.

"Doesn't work like that, I'm afraid." Sirius called and then made kissy faces at the two of them, completely oblivious to his best mate beside him.

Lily sighed, looked at Remus and leaned in. Her lips met his. The strange thing was Lily found herself comparing them to James' and she knew which ones she preferred. She pulled back and nervously took a step away. She could.

"That seems to have done it." Sirius said, seemingly disappointed. "We'll have to get some stronger stuff for next year." He turned and winked at James, who's face lit up with a brilliant, yet probably catastrophic idea for next Christmas.

…

Lily lay in her bed, contemplating the dream she had just woken from. It was New Year's Eve and about six in the morning. School was restarting on the 2nd of January and the train arrived tomorrow.

The six remaining fifth year Griffindors had enjoyed their holiday, though the exams were starting to loom on the horizon.

Lily had been dreaming about a certain black haired boy, but not the one with glasses. Lily had found herself talking to Severus and then kissing him, which was bizarre enough in itself, seeing as she had never seen him as anything more than a friend. Then, Severus had changed into a snake. Lily had screamed. She had screamed for her friends, for James, but no one had come. Then Remus had appeared carrying mistletoe and said to use that on the snake.

Lily shook her head to clear her thoughts and headed down to the common room. There she immersed herself in the book Remus had bought her.

"Enjoying it?" Remus asked.

"Yeah." Lily looked up to see Remus in his pyjamas had snuck down without her noticing.

"I've been wanting to talk to you since…the decorations went up in the prefects' bathroom." Remus sighed. Lily knew where this was headed.

"He loves you Lily, he admitted it after that kiss. When I walked in it didn't seem like you were protesting all that much." So he had seen. Lily blushed. "Do you like him back or not?"

"I don't know, Remus. He's so sweet sometimes and I think he's growing up and everything and then he just does something stupid like pranking with you and the other Marauders or bulling some first year or just being plain conceited." Lily garbled.

"Well, there's one way to find out how you feel about him." Remus suggested and then he left, headed down to breakfast. Lily laid her book aside and pondered his words. Kissing James had been nowhere near as bad as she had ever expected. She had liked it in fact. Should she ask him out, or even accept him when he next asked her out?

She headed down to breakfast.

…

"Five, four, three, two, one…" The crowd shouted. Some of the older years had gathered outside where a firework display was being held. Lily stood awkwardly as couples kissed all around her. Sirius was kissing Marlene and even Remus and Harriet had each other. Lily stood beside James, both of them looking away awkwardly (most unlike James). Lily wondered if this was the moment she should tell James her decision on what Remus had said?

But the moment was gone.


	11. Chapter 10

**Hello my lovely readers. Here's my effort to update more often! Have fun!**

Chapter ten – revise, revise, revise

Lessons restarted quickly after Christmas and the fifth years were suddenly weighed down with work. Every teacher was saying the same thing, "Revise, revise, revise!" Their homework load was quadrupled.

Late nights in the library, lunch times telling first years to hush up so they could concentrate and breakfast spent reading books while eating became common and the fifth years were only outdone by the seventh years.

Spring came quickly, the weak sunshine taunting them to go outside. The workload was becoming insane and even diligent, studious students like Lily were struggling. James was swamped because he had Quidditch too.

"I think we should get exceeds expectations if we live until the end of the exams!" Peter moaned one day. Lily had had no time to tell James that she possibly, maybe liked him. The two of them often spent time together with the group, but they were very rarely alone. The marauders hadn't pulled a prank in months.

Severus ran to catch up to Lily one day as she hurried across the courtyard to Herbology, made late by an essay for care of magical creatures.

"I haven't seen you in ages." Severus commented.

"I know Sev."

"Why is that? It's not anything to do with Potter is it?" He asked, snidely.

"No. I've been busy, that's all." Lily commented. They had paused in their rush across the courtyard.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"It's just he fancies you. James Potter fancies you!" Severus nearly shouted, exasperated.

Lily mentally rolled her eyes and said, tell me something I don't know.

"James Potter is an arrogant, bullying toerag." Lily muttered. Severus seemed to cheer up immediately. Lily added, mentally, that James hadn't been so much of a toerag lately.

…

"Hey, James." Lily sighed, slumping into the chair next to him after dinner in the common room that night.

He nodded.

"James? Is everything alright?" Lily asked, sensing something was wrong.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

"I dunno."

"Well, why don't you go and ask Snivellus?" James sneered and he rushed off.

Lily looked bewildered after him and turned and marched out the portrait hole. She met Severus on his way down to the dungeons.

"What's up with James?" She asked.

"James?"

"Potter."

"I just told him your opinion of him." Severus smiled.

Lily slapped her forehead, turned around and rushed back to find James, but she couldn't.

As the days went on James avoided Lily and Lily became more and more miserable. Lily threw herself into her studies by way of a distraction.

Careers advice would be starting soon and leaflets appeared in the common room one day early in March.

"Healing, the dos and don'ts."

"Teaching: is this your calling?"

"The bridges to banking."

"Friend or foe: the beginnings of becoming an auror."

"Wow, which to decide?" Mocked Sirius. "I see there isn't one for international superstar at Quidditch, Prongs!"

"Well, maybe I don't want to be a Quidditch player." James returned, leafing through one of the brightly colored pamphlets.

The group looked round, stunned.

"What do you wan to be, then?" Asked Peter.

"I want to fight against the scum that call themselves 'Death Eaters!' I'm going to join up to the aurors' office and stop anyone who sides with _him_."

Lily contemplated James' words and decided that she would like to do that, but wouldn't they all? Maybe she could help from the sidelines as a healer? James was brave to risk his life like that, so willingly.

Why was it that Peter suddenly looked scared?

Well? Hmmm...maybe there's something Peter's not telling the gang?

**R-E-V-I-E-W! PLEASE! I need encouragement to keep writing!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey there. Sorry I'm so slow to update :S Thank you for being patient. Well, the summer is nearly here and then I can write, and write, and write, and then maybe do some of the homework I've already been set... maybe not. :D Enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter eleven – Careers advice: Boys

_Black_

_Longbottom_

_Lupin_

_Pettigrew_

_Potter_

McGonagall reread the list. These were her Griffindor boys, the fifth years who now needed guidance for their futures. Exactly what was she meant to say to the worst behaved year she had ever had?

"Sirius Black!" McGonagall barked down the corridor. Black sauntered up to her, winked and strode through the door, his hands in his pockets.

McGonagall stood stock still for a moment, in shock of Black's behaviour. She mentally shook herself, walked into her office and closed the door behind her.

"Feet off the table, Black."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sirius nodded sarcastically, taking his feet off the table and running a hand through his long, handsome hair.

"Right, Black. I assume you know why you're here."

"Because you just can't get enough of me. You know it's true Minerva, you call me in here nearly every day." McGonagall peered over her spectacles at the cheeky young man.

"For once, Black, you are not in trouble. Yet. Please can you try not to finish the interview with another detention?"

Sirius nodded.

"So, do you have any ideas what you'd like to be?"

"None, whatsoever."

"Why does that not surprise me?" McGonagall muttered. "Well, have you looked through the pamphlets?"

"Yeah." He replied, casually.

"And?"

"And, well being an auror sounds cool. But I'd rather do something that involves my hands more, you know, like muggle engineering."

"Muggle, what?"

"You know, like build cars and stuff."

"I was thinking of a magical career, Black."

"Well, erm, how about an auror then."

"That requires very high grades, you know. You are not unintelligent, but you would have to start working much harder."

"Well, okay, then. Guess, that's me done, Minerva, so I'll be off."

Sirius stood and sauntered to the door, turned back and with a cheeky wink he was gone.

"Ten points from Griffindor for cheek, Black!" McGonagall called after him. She sighed. Today would be a long day.

XXXXXXXXXX

She consulted the list and smiled. Frank was the least likely to give her grief today.

"Frank Longbottom." McGonagall called out.

Frank's mousy head nodded at McGonagall as he passed.

"Hello, Frank."

"Hello, ma'am."

"So, have you given any consideration into your desired profession?" She asked politely, offering him a biscuit, which he took.

"Well, I was thinking an auror, but if I don't get the grades, I think healing would be a good profession, at least until someone takes down you-know-who and we can all live peacefully again."

McGonagall smiled at her student.

"That's a very admirable proposition, Frank. Any other ideas?"

"Well, I like Herbology, so maybe I can become a teacher?"

"Very good Frank. Take these leaflets as further information. You may go."

"Thanks, miss."

Frank left, closing the door softly behind him.

Such a well-behaved young man, thought McGonagall. He had taken very little time, which was good she supposed. She might need the time later, for Potter. She sighed, looking for the next name on the piece of parchment.

XXXXXXXX

"Remus Lupin." This ought to be interesting, thought McGonagall as Lupin walked through the door, nervously fiddling with a dog-eared book in his hands.

"So, Remus, what is it that you've been thinking about?" McGonagall asked kindly.

"I want to be a teacher." Remus burst out quickly. He then bit his lip, nervously.

"And why is that?" McGonagall asked, frowning over her spectacles.

"What better career is there than teaching others, than helping them to achieve?" Smiled Remus and McGonagall offered him a rare smile. That was exactly why she had become a teacher.

"That's very noble, Remus. Have a look at these leaflets, but you know you ought to consider other paths, given your condition." McGonagall said, a note of pity in her voice.

"I know, professor, but it's what I want to be."

"Well, I'm sure that Professor Dumbledore would give you a job, if you applied, so it's worth a shot." She paused and added, curiously, "What subject?"

"Defence, miss, because then the world would be just that little bit safer."

"Very good, Remus, very admirable."

"Thank you, professor. It means a lot to me, you know?"

"I know, Remus. Off you go." McGonagall smiled sadly at the boy, who was so much older than he really was. If she ever became headmistress, she would make sure Remus became a teacher.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Peter Pettigrew!" McGonagall's voice rang out.

The small, watery eyed boy scurried forward, glanced quickly up at McGonagall and hurried through the door.

"Well, Peter, what is it that you would like to be?" McGonagall inquired.

"I don't know, professor."

"No ideas?"

"None, professor."

"But, surely there must be something?"

"I don't know."

"Come, come Peter. I see you are rather good at charms, why not look for a career there. And you also excel in Herbology, perhaps some job taming wild plants, a botanist, perhaps?"

"Maybe."

"Come, Peter, you really must start making decisions and not living in others shadows."

"I know, miss."

"Very well, Peter. I've been meaning to talk to you actually. It seems you are not attending all your lessons anymore and you seem to disappear when this happens." She raised one questioning eyebrow.

"I feel ill, sometimes."

"Well, then, I suggest you go and see madam Pomfrey when this happens."

Peter nodded miserably.

"Is there anything else I should know?" She asked.

Peter glanced up, his watery blue eyes wide. He twitched involuntarily and squeaked.

"Peter?" McGonagall asked, concerned.

"Sorry miss, no there's nothing." He replied, gathering composure.

"Very well." McGonagall sighed and dismissed him. Peter was a very unfortunate boy, really. He always lived in the shadows of others. His future didn't look bright unless he learned to stand up for himself and became more independent.

XXXXXX

Last, but not least, "James Potter." McGonagall called.

The tall, lean, black haired boy entered the room casually, but nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"Have a seat, James."

"Thanks, professor."

"Now what would you like to pursue?"

"I'd like to be a professional jokester, ma'am." He replied, his nerves still showing through his bravado.

"Easily believable." She muttered, then; "Potter," McGonagall warned.

"Professional Quidditch player?" He asked.

"Well, you are undoubtedly good on a broom, but perhaps a more conventional route, a back up plan?"

"Maybe."

"I think I know what you'd like to be."

"And what's that professor?"

"A little bird told me you'd like to be an auror."

"Who?" James demanded.

"The walls have ears, James." McGonagall lowered her voice.

"Very funny professor." James said sarcastically.

"Well, is the little bird correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, here's some paperwork on it all, and I suggest you read it thoroughly."

James took the papers, paused and said, "Isn't this where you tell me I need to buckle down and do work?"

"Well, I would, but I believe that you've already grown more responsible, under a certain young lady's influence." McGonagall raised her eyebrows behind her spectacles. James gaped and McGonagall refrained the urge to laugh. "I believe that if you continue to work hard you will achieve the required grades."

"Wow. Thanks professor!" James smiled genuinely at her.

"Very well, James, you may go."

James turned to leave and then looked back and asked, perhaps audaciously, "What's made you call me James?"

"The fact that you are now growing up at last and you don't tread on my very last nerve anymore."

James smiled thoughtfully and left.

"Who knew McGonagall was human?" James muttered to Sirius and the two boys left for their common room.

**Well, just a short chapter. Sorry it wasn't longer. I felt that we needed some time with the individual characters to get to know them a bit more.**

**Don't forget to review! Please and thank you.**

**xx**


	13. Chapter 12

**Hiya everyone. Two chapters in one day! :D Aren't you lucky? :P Enjoy.**

Chapter twelve - Careers advice: Girls.

_Harriet Dippet_

_Lily Evans_

_Hestia Jones_

_Marlene McKinnon_

_Alice Merryweather_

_Sylvia Shinning_

McGonagall read the girls' list to herself. In stark contrast with the fifth year boys, this was the nicest group of girls you were likely to meet. Some of these girls were going to go on to do great things.

"Harriet Dippet," McGonagall called into the corridor. Several faces turned towards the voice, but McGonagall saw Harriet weaving her way through the bodies.

Once the two were seated, McGonagall asked, "What is it that you would like to be?"

"Well, I was thinking of working in international wizarding relations, or maybe muggle relations."

"That's a very admirable ambition, Harriet. You would probably need to take up a language or two next year. How are you doing in ancient runes?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Well, work hard at them because a good grounding in runes will help you with languages."

"Okay, thanks."

"Any other possible careers?"

"No, I don't think so, professor."

"Well, okay then, off you go miss Dippet."

Harriet walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Harriet was not one of the students that McGonagall knew well, seeing as she was rarely in trouble, so rarely sent to her office.

XXXXX

Ah, thought McGonagall, this one shall be interesting.

"Lily Evans."

McGonagall followed Lily's red head into the office and closed the door.

"Now, Lily, what is it you would like to be?" McGonagall asked her prefect.

"Well, I've got two things in mind, professor."

"That's alright." McGonagall's brow pulled together at this. She thought Lily would be sure of her path because Lily was always prepared.

"Well, I would love to be an auror and help bring you-know-who down." Lily paused and McGonagall gasped softly.

"But, it's really dangerous, so I thought that if I don't have what it takes to be an auror, I could always be a healer instead, and help victims of him recover."

"That's…that's very brave of you Lily." McGonagall studied her student. Her jaw was set in a stubborn line that McGonagall knew from when Lily was struggling with some difficult transfiguration, but was determined not to be beaten by it. "I can see you're determined." Observed McGonagall.

Lily smiled in response.

"Well, here's the details on both professions and I'm sure either profession would be glad to take you."

"Thanks professor."

"However, I can not help but notice that you are spending more time in the presence of the marauders."

Lily looked puzzled.

"I am glad that you are having some influence over their behaviour, I am glad that you were chosen as prefect. However, do not let them affect you academic goals or achievement."

"Yes, professor."

"Now, you seem to be achieving exceptional grades. Professor Slughorn seems delighted with you. Absolutely delighted! Horace, I mean, professor Slughorn, never stops singing your praises."

Lily smiled bashfully.

"If you need any help with transfiguration, don't be afraid to ask, which I would assume applies to all your teachers. You may go." McGonagall smiled as Lily left, blushing as red as her hair for the praise she had received.

XXXXX

"Hestia Jones." McGonagall called out, trying not to let her curiosity show through. Hestia was another character that interested McGonagall.

"Take a seat, Hestia." McGonagall shuffled through the student files until she found Hestia's. "Do you know what you want to do when you enter the adult wizard world?"

"I'd like to be an auror." Hestia said firmly.

McGonagall nodded, handed Hestia the required leaflet and sat stunned as the girl left the room.

XXXXX

"Marlene McKinnon."

Marlene sauntered up to the doorway, smiled at her head of house and entered the room. McGonagall knew that Marlene could sometimes be a handful, but it was possible that her new relationship with Mr Black had begun to have an adverse affect on her behaviour; she put her feet up on the table.

Marlene smiled at McGonagall, but lowered her feet once McGonagall gave her a stern stare.

"Well, McKinnon, what is your chosen career path?" Inquired McGonagall.

"Well, I'd really like to kick some Death Eater ass!"

"Language, McKinnon. It seems Mr Black is having an affect on your behaviour." McGonagall said, voicing her suspicions.

"Maybe, maybe not." Marlene shrugged.

"Well, you achieved good grades on your most recent set of tests and there's only been a small deterioration in your grades recently, so as long as you don't let Mr Black influence you too much, you should achieve the grades. My only concern would be transfiguration, though."

"Why is that professor?" Marlene asked, some of her swagger gone.

"Well, you only achieved an 'acceptable' on your last essay and I won't take NEWT students with less than 'exceeds expectations.'"

"Oh." Marlene said, downcast.

"But, if you're serious about your ambition, I will do all I can to see that you achieve the required grade." McGonagall smiled. Hopefully, showing Marlene kindness might persuade her to behave herself better.

"Thanks, professor." McGonagall blushed slightly at the unexpected gratitude, but busied herself with her papers.

"Very well, you may go."

XXXXX

"Alice Merryweather."

Alice walked through the door of McGonagall's office and sat down in the chair opposite the great wooden desk.

"Hello Alice. What career are you thinking of pursuing?" McGonagall inquired kindly.

"Well, I was thinking of studying to look after animals. I dunno what job exactly, but I love animals so I'd like to do something with them." Alice mumbled.

"Well, that's certainly a viable career path because I see that Professor Kettleburn gave you and O on your last essay."

"He did?" A smile crept onto Alice's face.

"Yes, he did. You certainly show some remarkable talent in the area of Care of Magical Creatures. Are there any creature you wish to study in particular?"

"I'm not sure. I like unicorns, but they're so elusive."

"Well, that's fine for now. Here's a leaflet on Care of Magical Creatures and the possible careers. I'd also advise going to see Hagrid if you want to follow this path."

"Hagrid?"

"Yes, Hagrid. He has a lot of, um, expertise in some of the more, er, rare, creatures."

"Okay." Alice replied, confused.

"Well, that's all for now, you may go."

"Thanks professor."

XXXXXX

Ah, the part Veela. Sylvia was often quite shy in transfiguration, though she did not lack ability.

"Sylvia Shinning."

"Hello professor." Sylvia mumbled as she entered the room.

"Now, any thoughts so far on what you'd like to do?"

"Well, my mother wants me to be a model, but I don't want to. I was thinking of going into the creature liaison office, actually."

McGonagall could not help but let the shock show through on her face. This really was an unexpected suggestion.

"Why is that?" She asked, recovering her voice.

"Well, I think a lot of creatures get a rough deal, you know like house elves and goblins (although Goblins can defend themselves). I'd just like to help it run more smoothly, you know. Either that or work at Gringotts."

"Gringotts?"

"Yeah, well, I'm not too bad at arithmacy and I have fun in the lessons, which is good, I suppose."

McGonagall looked through the file for some of Sylvia's arithmacy grades. They were exceptional. McGonagall next looked at her Care of Magical Creatures grades, which were good, but not as good as her arithmacy ones.

"Well, looking at your grades, I would advise you to go for arithmacy, but if you are serious about your other ambition, then I would suggest talking to professor Kettleburn and Hagrid, the gamekeeper."

"Er, okay."

"Here's some information that may help you decide." McGonagall handed over a few leaflets and dismissed the blonde girl.

Well, you learn something new everyday, and McGonagall supposed she had learnt a lot about her students today.

Later that night the girls were discussing McGonagall's interviews and their future plans. The talk continued late into the night, until a crescent moon hung high in the sky.

**There, I thought it only fair to give you an indepth look into the girls' minds too. Hope you enjoyed it and feel free to suggest improvements and tell me if I went wrong with the characters personalities, both the boys and the girls, though some of the girls are my own characters, I'd still like your views.**

**Thanks, and review please! xx**


	14. Chapter 13

**Very short chapter, but will update the next chapter right after, so watch out for it :D Also, the die-hard Potter fans out there will realise what's about to happen and that there will be a small overlap here with info we know from JK's version of Harry Potter. Enjoy. **

**And yes, little sis, there will be some more drama etc, but don't go wishing bad things on these characters!**

**xx**

Chapter thirteen – exams and mayhem

The exams began in May.

They sat theory papers and then practical exams in the afternoon. Thanks to her studying Lily found them quite easy and was satisfied with most of them.

Monday brought charms and three elderly wizards and one wispy haired witch conducted the practical exams.

"Excellent." A grey haired wizard commented when Lily successfully performed the bubblehead charm.

Herbology went well, though in the practical a venomous tentacular sapling managed to bite her finger, which oozed blood for two days.

Their last exam was defence against the dark arts. This was the unusual one because the practical was in the morning. They had to defeat a boggart, a dementor and finally, perform spells for the examiners.

"And I have heard that you can perform a patronus charm, would you kindly do it?"

Lily's silver doe bounded from her wand and circled her, stopping in front of her. Its presence was strangely comforting and Lily patted its silvery head before it vanished.

"Fantastic!"

Then after a hasty lunch, they had the written exam. Lily smiled when she saw one of the questions…identify 5 differences between a werewolf and a true wolf. She was sure Remus would have got them all.

When she had finished she put her quill down and looked to her right. Several rows away from her Severus was writing, his head bent low to the paper. A few rows closer James was staring idly at the ceiling.

The teacher dismissed them and they headed out to celebrate in the sunshine. Lily headed down to the lake with Sylvia and Hestia. They were later joined by Harriet, Marlene and Alice. Frank tagged along as well.

Behind them, a little way up the bank, beneath a large tree sat the Marauders. Lily could here them laughing at Peter for some reason. It was probably because he hadn't been able to identify the differences between a wolf and a werewolf despite running around with one once a month.

Lily sat chatting and giggling with her friends. She leant back, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her skin.

**Well, next chapter coming up. Gee, you guys keep me writing a lot, I need to start writing more quickly! REVIEW! (I'm hoping the more elcamation points I put after that the more reviews I will get, pretty please!) xx**


	15. Chapter 14

**Okay, some of you may know what's happening next, but here's my spin on it. Enjoy! xx**

Chapter fourteen – I'm so sorry

Lily was sitting with her friends, enjoying the sunshine when she heard shouting and jeering behind her. She turned to see Sirius and James turning on Severus, Peter looking like he was going to wet himself with excitement and Remus stood back, torn between action and inaction.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivellus' pants?" James asked. James had been downright unpleasant to Severus since he had told James what Lily had said. And in the recent months Severus had been just as bad.

"No!" Lily shouted. James turned back to her and messed up his hair, smiling at her, thinking he looked cool. James had forgiven her long ago, his ego recovering, but Lily had refused to be anything more than civil because of his behaviour to Severus.

"Get lost Evans. I don't need the help of a mudblood!" Severus shouted.

Lily gasped and the crowd 'ooh'ed.

"What did you just call her?" James roared.

"Don't, Potter." Severus warned.

"I can't believe you. I defended you." Lily shouted and then tore away.

James watched her go and then hexed Severus some more, washing his mouth out with soap for the language he had used.

Lily sat alone in the common room. Everyone was outside, enjoying the sunshine and relieved that exams were over. One solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

The girls had come looking for her but she insisted she was fine. Remus had come and patted her vaguely on the shoulder, but she ignored them all.

About midnight a sixth year came into the common room and told Lily that Severus was threatening to sleep outside.

"What do you want, Snape?" Lily asked, exiting the common room.

"Lily, I'm - "

"Save it. I only came out because I heard you were threatening to sleep out here."

"I was, I would have. Lily I'm so sorry."

"Why should you be? You call everyone of my birth mudblood. Why should I be any different?"

Severus' mouth opened and closed without making a sound.

"Exactly."

"I…"

"I don't care, Sev. I don't care." She grabbed something from around her neck. "Here." She handed him the pearl necklace.

"I'm sorry."

"I know. But I've been making excuses for you for too long. No one can understand why I talked to you. Mulciber and Avery are evil. All they want to do is go and join You-Know-Who…see you don't even deny that's what you're aiming to be."

How many times had they had this conversation? Lily asked herself.

Lily shook her head and was about to leave when she thought of something.

"Why do you hate James so much?" She asked.

"I…"

"The truth, Sev, for me." Lily pleaded.

"He nearly killed me."

"I know he plays pranks on you, but they're hardly life threatening." Lily scoffed.

"This was different. He led me to the whomping willow at the full moon…"

"He didn't!" Lily gasped.

"Well, no it was Sirius, but James was there! He came and pulled me back because he got cold feet."

"And that's why you hate him? Because he saved your life?"

"He was saving his skin as much as mine!"

Lily shook her head.

"He also said something. Something that can't be true." Severus called as she turned away again.

She paused, but didn't turn back. "What's that?" She asked.

"He said you've kissed him." Severus said. Lily said nothing. "It's true?" He gasped.

"I'm sorry, Sev."

"Me too, Lily. I'm so sorry." Lily headed up to the common room.

In the firelight she could determine just one person in the armchair.

"James?"

"Lily?"

"I'm so sorry." Lily gasped and collapsed onto one of the chairs, tears streaming down her face.

"What for? Lily?" He stood and awkwardly patted her back.

"Everything."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I do…I was horrible to you when all you did was save his life." She sobbed.

"Shh, flower, shh. It's okay. Everything will be okay." He soothed, sitting on the chair and pulling her onto his lap, not understanding what she was on about. She clutched to the collar of his nightshirt and sobbed. A grandfather clock ticked in the background and owls hooted outside, but other than that there were no sounds but Lily's crying.

After a long time and when Lily's tears had subsided, James whispered, "I think you already know this, but I love you Lily."

Lily said nothing.

James looked down at her and saw that she had fallen asleep. He smiled and wiped a single remaining tear from her cheek.

"Good night, love." He whispered.

Lily sighed and James smiled, stroking her hair.

"James."

"Lily?" James asked, thinking she had woken, but she was just dreaming. James smirked and continued stroking her hair.

…

"Aww."

"Someone get a camera."

A huddle of their friends stood around the pink armchair on which a sleeping James held a sleeping Lily on his lap.

Click.

"Aww."

"We've got to get them together." Marlene sighed, leaning into Sirius' chest.

James' eyes fluttered, beneath the glasses that were askew.

"Lily?" He asked.

"Wakey, wakey lover boy." Harriet teased.

"Huh?" He muttered, lifting himself up slightly. He suddenly registered the weight on his lap and looked down at Lily.

"Well, this is awkward." James commented.

**Hehehe, I just couldn't resist. Everyone needs a little more romance in their lives. Well, except for maybe you, little sis... O.o I kid, I kid. You know I love you. Anyway, to all my lovely reviewers, it really sucks when you look at how many hits you've had, but don't get any reviews, as the other writers among you will know, so please make me happy. Much love xx**

**P.S. yes they have cameras - some of them are muggleborn.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Hey guys, sorry for the long break without publishing, but guess what? I've written tons more of this dribble for you guys! Woo. It's planned to be around 60 (YES 60) chapters! :O And I've written up to chapter 24 so you'll be seeing more updates from me! Wooo! (Well, hopefully you think it's cause for wooo!ing). Anyway, enjoy! :D xx**

Chapter fifteen – summer

"Tell us everything." Hestia demanded.

The girls were down by the lake again, watching some third years feed toast to the Giant Squid. The sun shone brightly and a cool summer breeze played with their hair.

"Nothing to tell. I talked to Severus, got upset, cried and got back to the common room, saw James, collapsed because I was really sad and I felt really bad and then he was comforting me and I was crying on his shirt and I fell asleep…nothing more to tell."

"There so is. Why were you so upset anyway?"

"Well, James and Severus were always fighting and I wanted to know why so I asked. James hated Severus because I said something bad about James once and he told James and Severus hated James because of a prank he played and…well…"

"Well? What?" Harriet asked.

"I may have let slip to him…that…er, I, er, might have kissed…" She muttered James' name very quietly, but the girl still screamed.

"You've kissed James? When?" Alice squealed.

"At Christmas. He gave me this amazing gift and I wanted to say thank you." Lily explained.

"What did he get you? Why do you never tell us anything?" Sylvia complained.

"I tell you everything, except what happens between me and James because you always make it more than it is!" She giggled at Sylvia's stunned face and then held out her wrist and showed them the charm bracelet.

"Wow. I wondered who got you that. It's so pretty. James has really good taste." Alice complimented.

Lily smiled at them all.

"So, you and James?"

"No, just no." Lily laughed at them all. The conversation moved on and Lily was free to think about the possibilities if she and James did get together.

…

The end of term feast came quickly. Slughorn hosted a farewell party for the seventh years and a summer party for everyone else, which Lily managed to avoid.

The end of term feast was magnificent, made even better by Griffindor winning the house cup. The Griffindors roared like real lions when Dumbledore announced this.

Plus, the Marauders gave everyone a little treat for the end of term, in the form of setting off fireworks indoors. To add to this mayhem they enchanted the suits of armour to sing cheesy summer songs from the 1870s.

They headed onto the train at the end of the day, bags all packed. Frank and Alice sloped off to find them a compartment while the rest loaded bags onto the train and dragged them to the compartment. Lily and Remus had to perform prefect duties, but soon gave up as end-of-term-fever had caused more misbehaviour than any prefect could handle.

The eleven of them had squeezed into one compartment, meaning that the traditional games of exploding snap were made even more interesting.

"I can't believe how quickly this year has gone!" Sirius exclaimed and stretched his arms out. Peter had sloped off somewhere and Frank and Alice had decided it was too crowded.

"I know, mate. You coming to mine this summer?" James asked.

"I'd move in if your parents would let me."

"We could always ask." James offered.

"Promise you'll write to me?" Sirius asked everyone.

"Course, Sirius. Why wouldn't we?" Remus asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact he's an annoying git?" Marlene teased.

"Oi. McKinnon. Apologise, now."

The compartment burst into laughter as Sirius jumped around the compartment trying to get to Marlene.

The train pulled into the station and Marlene shot out of the compartment, leaving her stuff behind.

Lily grabbed her trunk and James helped her to lug it off the train.

"Hey Lily?" James said, pulling her to one side.

"Yeah?"

"Write to me?"

"Course."

"Promise?"

"Only if you promise to write back." She smiled.

James returned her smile and kissed her cheek before heading off to find his parents.

Lily saw her parents standing by platform ten when she walked through the barrier. She hurried over to them.

"Hey sweetheart." Her mum called, pulling her into a hug as soon as she was within reach.

Lily waved to her friends as they greeted their families.

"Ready to go, sweetheart?"

"Yeah." Lily replied, taking one last look at James who was chatting excitedly to his dad and gesturing towards Sirius who was standing alone on the station.

…

It was strange to be home again for Lily, having stayed for Cjristmas and Easter, meaning it was nearly ten whole months since she had been here.

She looked around at her bedroom, which was nearly unchanged from her childhood. She looked at her neat and tidy desk that would soon be covered in homework. She glanced through her wardrobe, now full of clothes that were too small and needed replacing. She rifled through her bookshelf that had both magical and muggle books.

Lily placed her trunk under her bed and fell onto her duvet.

She was staring at the ceiling when her sister came in.

"Oh, you're home." Petunia said, sighing.

"Tuney!" Lily yelled, running to give her sister a hug.

"Hey." Petunia said, softening. Petunia was now nineteen and Lily had turned sixteen in January.

Lily took in Petunia's mini skirt and high heels.

"Wow, you're so grown up." Lily exclaimed, looking at her own jeans and baggy t-shirt.

"You need a make-over." Petunia noted. "You found a boy you like yet?"

"Maybe." Lily commented casually.

"Really? Oh Lily! Let me make you over and buy you some new clothes. I can help you drive him crazy!" Petunia squealed and then paused. "As long as it's not that Snape boy."

"We're not friends anymore." Lily sighed.

"Good."

"Tuney!"

"Well, he was creepy."

"You have no idea." Lily muttered, but Petunia didn't hear because she had her head in Lily's trunk.

"These are the clothes you wear?"

"What wrong with them?"

"No flare, sweetheart. Image is everything. These are nice, though." She commented looking at some of Lily's dresses. "We'll have to go shopping."

"How's Vernon?"

"Vernon? He's fabulous. We're engaged!" Petunia burst out, showing Lily the ring.

"Congratulations!" Lily squealed.

Maybe she and her sister could be friends after all.

**Awww. I felt bad for Tuney and just had to make them make up, at least a little, well considering what's coming...no, wait, you guys'll just have to read that in the next chapter...speaking of which, review if you want it soon! Let's say, I'll update a week today (6th), but I'll bring it forward for a day for each review I get so if I were to get 7 reviews before I go to bed you might even get another update today! :O :D Well, review! :) xx**


	17. Chapter 16

**Hello there! THANK YOU to all my reviewers. All of you that sign in to review ought to get a reply from me and all I can do for my annonymous readers is say THANK YOU here. I love you all! Okay, next chapter! Enjoy xx**

Chapter sixteen – owls

As the weeks went by Lily wrote to her friends, did homework and shopped with Petunia. They really seemed to be getting along.

One evening Petunia brought Vernon home for dinner. This was the first time Lily had met him.

He was a tall man with a large appetite and wide shoulders. His hair was blonde and stuck to his head. He had a whiskery moustache and was a little plump, when compared to Petunia's bony form.

"Nice to meet you." Lily commented when he walked into the kitchen where Lily was helping her mother cook dinner.

"You must be Lily." He grunted. His voice was low.

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you." He extended a hand and Lily shook it, smiling. He seemed nice enough.

It was a cool summer's evening and the five sat down to dinner.

They had reached the desert of the three-course meal when everything went wrong.

"Screech!"

"What was that?" Vernon asked. Lily's stomach jumped at the sound.

"What?"

"It's an owl."

"Oh dear, no, not now."

"Huh?"

Confusion reined as a tawny owl soared through the window.

"Butterscotch!" Lily hissed.

"Butterscotch?" Vernon asked.

"Er, it's a polite way of cursing for Lily." Petunia lied.

"I'll get a towel." Vernon offered, helpfully and hurried out of the dining room.

"Quick, get rid of it!" Petunia hissed.

"Butterscotch, come here!" Lily commanded. The owl settled on Lily's outstretched arm and Lily grabbed the owl and rushed it to her bedroom.

"Where's the owl?" Vernon asked as he returned.

"Er, it flew out of the window." Petunia claimed.

Lily rushed downstairs and back into the kitchen, having shut Butterscotch up in her room. Butterscotch was Lily's owl and Petunia had never liked the bird anyway.

The five returned to dinner, but Lily struggled to eat. She excused herself and rushed upstairs to her letter.

She ripped the parchment from her desk and opened it.

"Dearest Lily,

The holidays are fun here, with Sirius since he's moved in now. Apparently his mum was a little bit angry (just a little) when he told her he was leaving. We're having fun playing one-on-one Quidditch in the garden because our house is secluded.

What have you been up to? I know you said homework last time, but we didn't get that much homework so you can't still be doing it! I miss you and your quirky studiousness (is that a word?).

The OWLS should be coming tomorrow, so tell me what you get. Probably ten outstandings because you're so smart. Sirius reckons he's done well. Moony's been here and he's probably done as well as you. He insists on going over the papers a million times, even now. The only question I still remember is the one about his 'fury little problem.'

I can't wait to see you, I mean, neither of us can. Sirius just read that over my shoulder and told me to tell you that I'm babbling and that I'm stupid…damn, I can't believe he made me write that! Ignore that!

We're going to go to Diagon Alley next Tuesday. Any chance you and the girls could join us? Marlene's going because she and Sirius are attatched at the hip now – she's been round here a few times, but I put my foot down when I walked in on a snogging session, in my room!

Anyway, hope to hear from you soon and I hope to see you on Tuesday.

Love James

Xx"

"Aww, James." Lily sighed at his awkwardness and laughed at Sirius' joke.

Petunia stormed in and Lily saw the headlights of Vernon's car moving away outside.

"What was with the owl?"

"One of my friend's wanted to talk to me?" Lily said as if it were obvious. "Look, I'm sorry Tuney, I really am." Lily said.

"Sorry won't cut it … Vernon's gone home. I hope you're happy!"

"Tuney, I-I'm really sorry."

"It doesn't matter. I think I'll – I'm going to bed." Petunia's slouched, thin form retreated out of the room. Petunia's lack of fight hurt Lily more than her shouting could have. Lily hated to see her sister in pain.

Lily sighed and collapsed on to her bed. In the morning everything would look brighter. That was what her mum always said. Lily's eyes closed and soon her breathing fell into the regular rhythm of sleep.

…

…

…

Lily awoke suddenly in the morning. The first rays of sunlight were creeping over the rooftops and through her open curtains. On the windowsill sat a fat, brown owl.

Lily rushed to her feet, realising she was still fully dressed from last night, and hurried over to the window, which she yanked open. The bird gave a grateful squawk and hopped down onto her bed.

Lil glimpsed the seal on the letter and immediately her fingers began to tremble. She reached out uncertainly for the letter and as soon as it was free of its burden the bird soared gracefully out of the window.

Lily turned the letter open and ripped it open. Three sheets of parchment fell out. The first was the normal letter, the second was her booklist and some new equipment she would need and the final sheet was the one she awaited with trepidation.

OWL results – Evans, Lily

Ancient runes O

Astronomy O

Care of Magical creatures O

Charms O

Defence against the dark arts O

Divination O

Herbology O

History of Magic O

Potions O

Transfiguration O

Lily breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, counted to ten and then breathed out again. She opened her eyes. The results were still there…ten tiny ink "O"s. She allowed herself a small smile before rushing down the stairs.

She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

She hurried into the kitchen where her mother, ever the early riser, was already sizzling bacon in a pan.

"Morning Lily. Why exactly do you look all hot and bothered? Aren't they the clothes you wore last night?" Her mother asked, transferring some of the bacon to a plate.

"Mum, mum, mum! Look!" Lily thrust the piece of parchment underneath her mother's nose.

Her mother's eyes quickly scanned the paper and then Lily was surrounded by her mother's arms.

"Well done, Lily!" Her mother cheered. Lily smiled into her mother's shoulder.

**N'awww. Okay, a little bit of a filler in places, but what do you guys think? Please, please, please leave a review! I love reading them. I can't wait for the gang to get back to Hogwarts. Oh! Ohohohohoh! Eeeep! Just had a fab idea! Gotta go write some more! Love you all xxx**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hey everyone. Sorry for the long time without update, but I've edited and re-edited this chapter to try and get it right. Thanks goes to TheBritishOne for helping me with some ideas for this chapter – your mind is one of a brilliant prankster, perhaps you should team up with George and run WWW with him. Thanks also to ? who pointed out it's Marlene, not Mary. Anyway, everyone, enjoy the chapter.**

Chapter seventeen – Skip, skip, let's take a trip to Diagon Alley

Lily found herself just as amazed by Diagon Alley as she always was. She met Marlene, Sylvia and Hestia outside Gringotts, Alice being with Frank and Harriet being unable to come that day. The four girls headed along the street in search of supplies for the new school year. They had seen not hide, nor hair of the boys that called themselves the Marauders.

Lily dragged the girls off to Madam Malkin's for some new robes, and also to look at dress robes. Inside they saw several timid looking children getting their first ever robes. One small boy bumped in to Marlene as she shuffled around the crowded shop.

"Oi, munchkin, out of the way." She glared at the small child who hurried back into a clothing rack.

"Marlene!" Lily reprimanded.

"I swear we were never that small, or annoying." Marlene complained.

"No, Marls, you were smaller and even more annoying!" Sylvia commented, ducking out the way of Marlene's playful swipe.

When the girls exited the shop they saw four boys exiting a different alley and coming into Diagon alley. Beneath each boy's arm was a package, no doubt filled with horrible things to prank people with.** (Can anyone guess which alley?)**

"Oh dear, I smell trouble." Marlene stated, looking fondly at the guy who was now her boyfriend, Sirius Black.

The four boys disappeared into the apothecary's, which is exactly where the girls were due to go next.

"Perhaps it would be better to come back later?" Sylvia suggested timidly.

"Oh, come on, don't be such a wimp." Hestia said and she and Marlene pulled the two other girls into the shop.

The shop inside was dim and had an…interesting smell; a mix of old gym socks, dragon dung and rotten meat.

The girls started searching for their ingredients for potions, while keeping an eye out for the mischievous boys, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, Lily, check the list, would you? How much dragon's spleen do we need?" Hestia asked, grabbing one of the silver scoops from the tray. Nothing seemed odd.

"Um," Lily paused while she consulted the parchment, "we need four pounds."

"Cheers, Lily."

Other customers were bustling about collecting ingredients for potions. Some of them were younger students, some were older, seventh years. There were even two plump women standing in a corner deploring the price of rats brains.

"Nine sickles a pound! Nine, mind you! When I was a girl you could get most of the shop for nine sickles!"

Suddenly a scream came from one of the far corners of the shop.

"What is going on?" The shop owner asked, hurrying over.

"It's this scoop! It won't let me put it down."

The four Gryffindor girls froze. Lily, who had been about to pick up a scoop to collect some beetles, withdrew her hand cautiously.

"Fuck it."

"What Hestia?"

"Language young lady!" A shop assistant with wiry grey hair reprimanded.

"My scoop won't let me let go either." Hestia complained, shaking her right hand violently.

"Should've known when we saw them come in here. Anyone seen 'em leave?" Marlene asked.

"Nope." Was the answer from the three other girls.

"Well, Lily guard the door while we hunt about for them."

Hestia remained where she was, unwilling to risk further humiliation.

Marlene passed customer after customer with scoops attached to their hands like silver claws. One had her head bound in unicorn hair so that her face looked to be concealed in a silver cocoon.

Suddenly there was further uproar as the beetles, the very ones Lily had been going to pick up, suddenly burst into motion, ignoring the fact they were dead, and scuttled from their basket onto the floor, spilling like a black waterfall.

"Crap! Oh, holy shit!" An elderly lady who had been standing nearby yelled as the waterfall climbed up the leg of her robes. She proceeded to hop about like a rabbit on drugs.

"I once had a bunny who hopped like that; he had magical flees!" A young boy cried.

On the word flees, the shelves overhead collapsed, releasing flees for potion making from the glass jars.

"This is mayhem, absolute mayhem!" Marlene complained, ducking out the way of an onslaught of flees.

Lily, by the door heard a male giggle, one she was quite familiar with and looked around for the dark haired boy who could not be far. She saw no one but the door to the shop blew open in a gust of wind.

"Come on. Let's get out of here!" Lily called and most of the shop followed, leaving the owner and the assistants to reign in the chaos.

One tall, angry looking assistant came to the door, slammed it shut and out a "closed" sign in the door.

Sylvia sighed, picking a beetle out of Lily's hair. The four headed away from the shop, past a pet shop. From that shop too came screeching. The four paused to look into the shop and retreated as the fine black rats came skipping out the door. They paused on the doorstep to perform some tricks with their skipping rope before throwing the skipping rope at the young assistant who manned the counter. Hundreds of owls came swooping through the doorway and cats slinked out, chasing the mice that were scattering in every direction.

"Sorry, dears, we're going to have to send you away, it appears all the magical locks on our cages are broken." She paused to turn after an orange cat that was making an escape bid. "NO, CROOKSHANKS! GET BACK HERE!" She screamed and haired off after the ball of fluff with feet.** (yes, it's THE Crookshanks, there, even then.)**

"I'm beginning to get the feeling," said Lily, turning to her companions, "that the boys only invited us here to witness their most extravagant prank yet." The other three nodded.

The four headed to the only place they were likely to find peace; Florean Fortiscue's ice cream parlour. There they found the four boys relaxing after their hard day's pranking.

"Hello girls." Sirius grinned.

Marlene walked up to him sweetly and gave him a hug, pouring some beetles down his back as she did so.

"Aw, Marls, you missed-ah! What did you do?" He asked, bouncing around in circles, shaking his shirt.

"Pay back, sweetheart."

They all laughed at Sirius and even he laughed, but only once he had removed all of the beetles.

"You know, it's lucky you came here."

"What?" The four girls asked in astonishment.

"To be pranked over and over by you idiots?" Sylvia asked, disgruntled.

"No, Sirius means here, to this ice cream parlour, and not the other one at the other end of the alley." Remus explained.

"And why is that?" Lily asked.

"Because, Lily-dearest, well, by the sound of that screaming you should see any minute."

A troop of people, tired from their long day of shopping came running around the corner, all with ice cream cones attached to their noses and syrup poured over their heads.

"Whoops." Peter commented and James and Sirius high fived.

"Those poor people!"

"Oh, that's not all!" Sirius said, gleefully. "We also made all the chocolate chips in the ice cream change to beetles."

"I've had enough of beetles today! I'm going home!" Screeched one lady to her husband, and the girls recognised her from the apothecary.

"You guys simply cannot behave, can you?"

"Nope." The four answered simultaneously, grinning from ear to ear.

**Well, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and don't forget to review. Xxx**


	19. Chapter 18

**WOW, TWO updates in one day? Has the world gone mad? Okay, my brilliant idea is for this part - train journey - in a year's time (within the story, hopefully it won't take me that long to write all this!) So you guys can just forget that for now. So, I was thinking of a title change, to maybe "The life of a flower." What do we think? Any suggestions welcome. Okay, enjoy the chapter! xx**

**P.S. please excuse the, er, song... O.o**

Chapter eighteen – year six begins

Steam billowed around the scarlet engine. Petunia had not come to see Lily off. After the event with the owl, Lily did not blame her, though Vernon had forgiven Petunia eventually.

Lily glanced back at her parents. The two of them stood, side by side, glancing around the station in wonder, just like the very first time they had been on platform nine and three quarters.

Lily's mother was curvier than she had been and her red hair that Lily had inherited was beginning to get touches of grey. Her husband beside her stood tall and proud - dignified by age.

Lily smiled at them.

Suddenly her view of her parents was obstructed by a mass of golden hair.

"Lily!"

"Sylvia!" The two girls hugged closely, jumping up and down. Lily's parents watched with bemused expressions.

Alice and Mary stood behind Sylvia and hugged Lily too. Harriet and Hesista hadn't arrived yet and Lily's forehead creased with concern as she glanced at the station clock, which read ten to eleven.

"They'll be here."

Lily nodded and went to say her goodbyes to her parents.

"Goodbye, flower, see you soon."

Lily hurried onto the train, waving over her shoulder as she went. The whistle blew and the train began to move. Lily dragged her trunk to the compartment where her friends sat.

"Hey." She called to the crowded carriage. "I've got to go to prefect duties."

"Oh, yeah!" Remus said, emerging from behind a book.

The two of them walked down the crowded train together, squeezing against the side of the train when a group of first years hurried past with their trunks, away from the sixth year Slytherin carriage.

"What's going on?" Lily asked as she walked into the Slytherin compartment.

"Nothing." Said Avery innocently from on top of what looked like a first year girl.

"Avery, move now!" Lily commanded. Avery ignored her and Nott cracked his knuckles threateningly.

Severus chose that moment to return to the compartment.

"What? Avery – Lily!" His greeting was warm and he smiled brightly at the red head.

"Snape." Lily nodded, her voice cold.

The first year chose the distraction as a good time to escape. The tiny blonde-haired girl rushed to the compartment door, gave a watery smile towards Lily and Remus and ran off to the other end of the train.

"I'm reporting you!" Lily warned them. "No more terrifying the first years!" With that Lily marched off, Remus trotting in her wake.

"Ah, here they are, the Griffindor prefects. Not like you to be late, Lily." Dumbledore smiled over his spectacles.

"Sorry, professor, but some Slytherins took it upon themselves to give a first year an unpleasant welcome."

"Ah. They will be dealt with." Dumbledore assured her. Lily remembered how weird it had been discovering that Dumbledore did not live at Hogwarts when it was not term time, but took the train so he could talk to his prefects and head boy and girl. He addressed the seventh years first and dismissed them, before turning back to the prefects.

"Now, the older prefects will be an example for the new ones. It is your job to be a role model to the younger children, to report wrongdoing and confiscate certain items, of which Filch has an extensive list. Well, hop to it." He nodded at them and the blue eyes sparkled behind the half-moon spectacles.

The prefects shuffled out. Lily was just leaving when McGonagall suddenly appeared beside Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, your assistance is required at the school – Peeves…"

"No need to say anything more Minerva. I'm coming." The two of them spun on the spot and disappeared.

"Can't wait until I can apparate," voiced Remus, staring at the spot where Dumbledore had just been stood.

"Me either." Lily whispered.

The two of them headed off on patrol, nodding to the other prefects and friends when they saw them.

Eventually, at around twelve o'clock the two of them returned to their compartment, hungrily awaiting the lunch trolley.

"Hey."

"Wow, I'm hungry." Sirius moaned, glancing past Lily for the trolley.

"Wow, nice greeting, Sirius. I missed you too!" Lily scolded.

Sirius turned and smiled at her sarcastically.

"Lily, flower, I know you missed me, it's natural, but if you could just be quiet I'm waiting for lunch."

Remus whacked him round the head with his book.

"Glad to see someone has some intelligence." Harriet noted.

The group began discussing their holidays and the talk inevitably turned to results.

"And we don't even need to ask Lily. She got ten outstandings and we all know it." James boasted.

Lily blushed crimson and said nothing, not wanting to boast.

Sylvia, thankfully, turned the talk away from results to Quidditch, which effectively sidetracked the boys' attention.

Luckily, the lunch trolley arrived before Sirius resulted to eating anyone and they all felt more content on a full stomach.

The light soon dimmed outside and the group pulled on their robes. The train ground to a halt in Hogsmede. Suddenly the train was alive with movement and the sounds of trunks dragging across the floor, owls screeching and general chatter.

Lily dragged her trunk onto the platform and reserved a carriage for the group. Everyone climbed into the horseless carriage, which lurched into action as soon as the door shut. The group continued a general chatter until they reached the wild boar gates.

Lily glanced up at the castle in wonder. Lights twinkled from the windows and the great oak doors stood open, waiting for them. How fantastic it was to be here again.

XXXXX

The Great Hall swelled with the start of term chatter until McGonagall entered, leading a string of tiny first years.

She placed a stool and the worn, old, sorting hat upon it.

To the astonishment of the line of first years the hat began to sing.

"Many years ago,

Before you were even born,

I was new and sewn and

Upon a great head was worn.

I may now be frayed,

Withered and quite torn,

But what I am not,

Is morose or forlorn.

For unlike most,

Simple, wizards' hats,

I have brains and knowledge too

That could beat a witch's cat's.

Our four wise founders,

Placed thought in me,

So that I could sort you

All from a student sea.

Place me upon your head

And I will see within.

Then I will proclaim,

Which house you should be in.

So slip me neat,

Around your ears,

And I shall soon decide

Who shall be your peers.

Whether it be cunning Slytherin,

Or the bold Griffindor.

Whether it be loyal Hufflepuff,

Or wise old Ravenclaw.

I shall know where it is,

That you shall best fit.

So take me in your hands

And upon my stool, sit.

But take note that a castle

Though built of strong stone

Is only as strong as those within

So look around, you are not alone

Keep watch, defend the fort

Don't let them in, keep strong

Don't let them conquer

Stick together, learn from my song.**" (sorry for the awfulness of the song/poem :S)**

Lily looked around at her friends and they nodded. The hat was once again reminding them that spies could be among them and that they had to keep strong, watch each others' backs and so on.

The line of first years slowly diminished and a number of new Griffindors joined the table. The first year that Lily and Remus had rescued earlier was sorted into Griffindor and smiled down the table at Lily.

Dumbledore's speech was once again about sticking together and the dangers the castle faced from the outside. Then the feast appeared.

Sirius ate like he hadn't seen food in years. James dug in greedily and even Remus scoffed down food. Peter, meanwhile, sat pushing his food around his plate.

"Hey, Peter, you okay?" Lily asked, leaning towards him.

Peter jumped and looked up at her. He nodded minutely and returned to pushing his food around the golden plate.

**Right, there you have it - the gang are back at Hogwarts, let the fun begin! Don't forget to suggest titles to change this to. Also, POTTERMORE - who else has got in? xx**


	20. Chapter 19

**Hello everyone! :D I've been at work all week, but even though I'm dog-tired after working nine to five, having been up at quarter to seven and only just got home I'm updating because I love you! However, work has it's perks! I got to write my very own clause into an official document! ME! And at seventeen lol...I'm way too excited about that :/ Anyway, HARRY POTTER EXCITEDNESS! And WOOOO we finally reached 50 reviews! I promise a shoutout to the 100th reviewer (hint-hint)! :P Anyway, here's the chapter, ENJOY! xx**

Chapter nineteen – double, double, toil and trouble

The group were sitting at their usual part of the Gryffindor table the next morning. When the owls came, the boys sniggered at the first years who had never seen owl post before because they all jumped a mile.

"Why thank you Minerva, dear. See you handed me mine first. I always knew I was your favourite!" Sirius smiled at McGonagall, fluttering his eyelashes and placing his hand lightly on her arm, as she handed him his timetable.

"Black. As much as I know you love to flatter yourself, your name begins with "B," meaning that you are first of the Griffindor sixth years." The normally stern line of a mouth uplifted into a small smirk and McGonagall pulled her arm from his grasp before proceeding to break up two fourth year Griffindors scuffling with a seventh year Slytherin by the great wooden doorway.

The gaggle of sixth years looked at each other and then burst into raucous laughter at McGonagall's behaviour. Sirius, meanwhile, looked disgruntled.

James looked at the face surrounded by black, curly hair that was far too long and snorted. In retaliation, Sirius pushed James off the bench.

"Thanks mate." James grumbled. Sirius ignored him, turning to his timetable instead. James hauled himself back into his seat, dusting off his cloak.

"Yes. Sixth year is going to be so much better! We get free periods now!" Sirius said, sticking his tongue out at a second year that gave him a disparaging look, much like the one Lily was giving him.

"Yes, Sirius, but you'll need those for work." Lily said, while Harriet pointed out the level of maturity Sirius had attained over the summer.

"Yeah, Sirius, you are so mature." James added, his tone heavily sarcastic and grinning at his best friend.

"More mature than you!" Sirius yelled and proceeded to use his spoon to catapult jam into James' face. McGonagall returned to hand Lily her timetable at that moment. She rolled her eyes at Lily and then took Sirius' spoon from him and rapped him on the head with it.

"Will you ever learn to behave?" She sighed.

"Maybe you should give me private lessons, professor?" Sirius asked in a tone of mock innocence.

"Maybe, Black, you should get out of this hall before I charm this spoon to hit you round the head all day?" She suggested, holding up the spoon in question.

Sirius winked at Minerva and sauntered out of the room, dragging Remus and James with him.

The girls giggled and then Harriet commented, "She seems to be in a good mood."

"Who knows, maybe she's softening to Sirius?" Sylvia joked.

"Maybe she, like everyone else, realises we need a laugh or two in these hard times." Mary suggested solemnly.

XXXXXXXXX

Lily headed down the stairs to potions after retrieving her bag from the tower. The others lagged behind. But, soon enough, James, Sirius, Hesista, Mary and Frank entered the dungeon.

Slughorn's ever growing stomach preceded him through the door. He was wearing his favourite emerald robes.

"Well, well, well. So you are the ones good enough to take potions to NEWT level. Good to see you Barnes, and you Casper, oho and Evans too. Well, it's nice to see you Evans." He smiled. Snape sneaked into the dungeon behind Slughorn and took his seat.

"Oho. Snape. Wondered if you were returning. Just as well you have. You're a dab-hand at potions, you are."

Severus made no comment, nor any sign that he had even heard Slughorn.

"Well now. To business." Slughorn cleared his throat before continuing. "Today, we shall be making the draught of living death." He let the words hang ominously in the air. The dungeons seemed suddenly cooler and the sun that had been previously shining through the window dipped behind a cloud, making the room darker and danker too.

"Instructions on page thirteen." Thirteen…the unlucky number. Lily swallowed loudly and then shook herself for being so stupid. Nothing was going to happen.

The class set to work and soon silvery, spiralling vapours were rising from the cauldrons.

"What's Snivellus doing?" Sirius asked of James. Lily looked round at the Slytherin table.

"He's adding a clockwise turn…why?" Lily puzzled.

"I don't know, but it seems to be working. Have you seen how pale his potion is? It's nearly see-through." James said, envy and frustration clear in his voice.

He turned to face Lily and wound a strand of the slightly frizzy hair (from the vapours) back into her sloppy bun.

Sirius looked around just in time to see Snape looking daggers at James. Lily ignored the two of them.

"If looks could kill, mate." He said to James.

James looked over at the Slytherin table and smiled, directly at Snape.

"Don't provoke him. He could murder you with his potion making skill. No doubt one drop of that draught of living death would kill the whole class, never mind you." Sirius warned.

Lily turned away, biting her lip.

...

The bell rang and the class looked up, startled.

"Oh my, look at the time. Well, hurry, hurry. Pack away your things and bring a flask of your potion up for assessment." Slughorn called cheerily.

Lily put some cork in her flask and James' and took the two to Slughorn's desk.

"Well, well, Lily, very good, very good." Slughorn smiled.

Lily turned. The scene played out before her, not in slow motion like old movies, but sped up, as if on fast-forwards. Severus dropped his cauldron right beside James and the liquid splashed up, about to go all over James.

Lily screamed.

Several others did too, and James had only time enough to look horrified.

However, the liquid was mysteriously gone.

"Mind now, Severus, you must not be so clumsy!" Slughorn called, his tone one of mock cheeriness, but his eyes wide and his wand outstretched, still pointing at James. He had clearly been worried about James' safety.

Severus turned away, shrugging his shoulders carelessly.

Lily's green eyes narrowed in the direction of her former friend.

The class poured out of the dungeon door, slightly more solemn than usual. Lily hurried past them, brushing against a blonde Hufflepuff and forcing her way towards the black haired boy who led the group. Around him were several others dressed in the Slytherin colours.

She reached him in the courtyard, her cheeks coloured red partly from her fast walk and partly from anger.

She pulled on his cloak and waited for his friends to leave him behind a little.

She turned to him.

"How dare you?" She screeched at him.

"What?" He asked, his eyes narrowing at her.

"You did that on purpose, so stop playing stupid."

"Who says he's playing?" Commented Sirius, as he walked past with James.

"Shut up Black." Severus hissed, but too low for the two boys to hear and turn back.

"What's up with you?" Lily asked of him.

"Nothing." Severus' chin jutted out with defiance.

"Oh, really? Then why are you always sneaking around? Why are you always hanging around with Death Eaters? Whose side are you even on?"

"The winning side!" Severus growled menacingly.

"The winning side?" Lily asked in disbelief. "Evil will never conquer good, Sev."

"You're living in a fairytale!" Severus shouted. "You just don't understand. You're going to get yourself killed!" He paused, breathing heavily. "Please, Lily, join him with me when we leave Hogwarts. Please. You'll be safe then. He can protect us."

"I'd rather die than torture muggles. And in case you haven't noticed I'm a mudblood. I'm sure he'd love me to join up!" Lily whispered.

"Don't call yourself that!" Severus' face was screwed up in pain.

"Why not? That's what I am." Lily commented, staring into the pain-stricken coal black eyes.

"No." It began to rain, the droplets coming down cold, like icicles as they hit the bare skin of Lily and Severus' faces.

"No? Both my parents are muggles, Sev." Lily didn't even realise she had slipped into using her old nickname for Severus.

"It doesn't matter." The water fell faster and harder now, little bombs of water.

"Strange. That's what you said to me when we were ten. If it doesn't matter then why join him?"

"I don't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice, Sev. Everyone. And you're making the wrong one."

And with that, the fiery red head shook her head sadly and walked off.

Snape watched her go, his heart aching. He realised with bitter regret he'd never told her it was actually an accident and that he really had tripped. He turned from the courtyard after she was out of sight. As she had said, she was a mudblood. She was impure. Then why couldn't he get her out of his head?

The reason?

On the inside, he knew that Voldemort was wrong. Lily was special, just not in a bad way.

And, also, ultimately, Snape knew that he loved and always would love plain old muggleborn Lily Evans.

**Hope you liked the chapter. Not going to be updating for a little while. I'll try and update around the 24th/25th. SORRY guys. Anyway, when I do get around to updating I'll make sure I have a long/good chapter for you guys...well, I can try :P :D And don't forget to...**

**R - E - V - I - E - W ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !**

**xx**


	21. Chapter 20

**Hey, sorry for the long time without an update :/ MY COMPUTER IS RUNNING SO SLOW right now, it's driving me crazy :S Anyway, time for an update wooo :D Not a particularly great chapter in my opinion and I've had so much to do that I really haven't written as much as I'd have liked to this holiday, but I promise to try harder for you guys! Well, here it is, in all its disappointing glory! xx**

Chapter twenty – no denial

Several days had passed since Lily and Severus' strangely prompted talk. The two of them were quieter than usual, and avoided each other's eyes. Lily now knew which path Severus had chosen and she was taking the opposite one.

Every time they had fought, Lily had always thought that there was a chance they could be friends again, make up, over come their differences, but now, though they were not enemies, they were on opposite sides in a brewing war.

And that's what it was; a brewing war. Each day brought more news of deaths, disappearances, accidents that weren't accidents at all.

Lily walked solemnly to breakfast one morning, late in September, slumping in her seat next to Sylvia.

She grabbed a slice of toast, though she wasn't hungry. She was never hungry anymore.

The ceiling of the great hall was grey, reflecting her mood.

Around her, fellow students talked, laughed, ate and drank, all the while Lily was wondering how they could ignore the mounting danger outside the walls of the castle, because she knew that no one was ignorant of it. Perhaps they were in denial?

There was no denial for Lily.

"Have you seen this?" Hestia commented, passing Lily the Daily Prophet.

Lily scanned the front page.

"DEATH TOLL RISES AS MUGGLE RESCUE TEAMS INVESTIGATE LATEST 'BOMBINGS'"

"This is awful." Lily murmured. She read on.

"A known 313 people have been pronounced dead thus far in investigations. Undercover wizards help the muggles investigate what they have dubbed a "terrorist bombing" of a train station. Several more people are injured in hospital, with most of them, wizard or muggle, being taken to the spell damage ward in St Mungos hospital.

"It is believed that this was the work of either the vicious gang of you-know-who supporters known as "Death Eaters" or of you-know-who himself. He-who-must-not-be-named is certainly gaining both support and power. This is the fifth attack believed to be the work of him this month.

"This story is continued on pages 3, 4 and 5."

"How horrible." Sylvia whispered, having read over Lily's shoulder.

"Isn't it?" Hestia groaned.

"I can't wait until I can join the order with my brothers. I can't wait for him to be brought down! He deserves to be killed slowly and painfully." Mary growled.

"Don't say that Mary! He has people everywhere and you'll be killed!" Sylvia moaned.

As if suspecting Death Eaters to swoop down at any moment the girls looked around them.

It was getting worse.

**Sorry it's a short chapter everyone. I'll update right after this too, but then I'm siriusly (hehe) gonna have to get writing! :O xx**


	22. Chapter 21

**Well, here's the next chapter as promise. My computer, well laptop, is acting so weird! :/ grr and it's new! Anyways, enjoy! xx**

Chapter twenty-one – Halloween at Hogwarts

The lonely boy walked the stone corridors to the Great Hall alone. Several groups of fellow Slytherin students passed him, but he did not acknowledge them and they acted as if he did not exist.

He rose up some steps and came out on the ground floor of the castle, only a short way from the hall's great wooden doors, but he was not ready to join the growing, chatting crowd. He shivered, pausing at one of the windows. Outside the moon had risen and was a strange silver orb.

He glanced down to the lake, which was black, the water barely rippling. He saw the whomping willow, which he knew would conceal the werewolf since the moon was full. The branches swept back and forth as if in a great wind, showing that Lupin had passed recently and the tree was still making its discontent known.

Never had a Halloween been so solemn before. Never had the feast seemed less appealing. Perhaps he had made the wrong choice? But no, he knew which side would win and knew which he should continue with.

The black curtains of hair that framed his face emphasised the paleness of his skin, silvered by the moon.

Movement caught his eye and he saw a stag, highlighted against the tree line of the forest.

"Hmm." The breath sighed through his lips as he watched the movement of the creature. It cantered around, tossing its head as if waiting for something.

On the edge of the forest emerged another shape, a girl with blood-red hair stepped towards the stag. The stag froze, as if suddenly it was no more than an ice sculpture. It scented the air and then turned towards her.

Even at this distance he could see the cheeks of the redheaded girl uplift and she started towards the stag.

That was no ordinary stag!

Severus had never seen an animal act like that, but then again he knew there was something special about Lily.

A large black dog suddenly burst out of the trees and snapped at the heels of the stag as it passed. The stag aimed a kick of surprise and lily tapped its nose, as if in punishment.

The dog bounded across the grass and disappeared into the hole in the roots of the whomping willow. Severus felt a pang for the dog, who he knew was not likely to make it out of there alive.

Lily stood by the stag, appearing to talk to it. It walked a little distance from her and she called after it. It paused, nodding at her.

She screwed up her eyes, tight, and bit her lip. Severus' eyes saw all of this in detail, his heart aching for the girl, his hand itching to smooth her lip.

Suddenly her form began to shake, as if she were gas or liquid, not solid form, but then Severus blinked and she stood there, solid again. He supposed that he was tired.

Staying here, watching her, would not do him any good. He turned away from the window and headed to the hall.

Outside, the sounds of the chattering hall and the festive singing echoed across the lawns to Lily, where she stood, concentrating once more.

"I can't do it." She told the stag. The stag looked at her with wide eyes, then lowered its head and turned to face the whomping willow.

Lily sighed.

"Go. He needs you. I'll be in the common room when you get back."

The stag turned from the tree and walked towards her, rubbing its head on her palm. Then it looked up at her a smiled. It unmistakably smiled.

"Even as a majestic stag, you're goofy!" Lily laughed.

The stag looked affronted and galloped off into the night, leaving Lily alone. She shivered, looking after the stag.

A twig broke behind her. She turned and gasped.

She slapped the boy who stood in front of her.

"James you idiot!" She moaned, her heart still beating frantically like a wild creature trying to escape. You never knew what lurked in the dark, even less so in times like these.

"Come on, Lily, you hurt my feelings! I am not goofy!" He whispered, putting on a wounded face.

"No, you're right, that's Sirius, you're…"

"I'm what?"

"You're just aggravating."

"Really, flower. I don't think so. At least I can be another animal if I so wish. And I shall tell Sirius what you said." He called, running and suddenly no longer there, galloping instead was the brilliant stag.

"That's it. Run to the dog!" Lily laughed at his retreating form.

Lily turned to the castle.

XXXXXXX

Severus climbed down to the dungeons having feasted above in the warm candle glow. These days he could not look his headmaster in the eye. The blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore saw far too much.

He climbed beneath the silver and green sheets and snuggled down, ignoring the snores and grumbles of his dorm mates. He soon fell into a fitful sleep.

...

...

...

...

"Lily? Lily?" He called, but she did not turn. He could see her shapely back, her flowing red hair, but she didn't hear him, or pretended not to. He ran, but could not reach her.

Suddenly there was a huge stag beside him, breathing heavily through its nostrils and pawing the ground with its feet.

"Help!" He called. Suddenly the stag was gone and he was alone on an island. Then the scene shifted once more and he was near a forest. Through the forest came a boy who looked like James Potter and he was following a silver doe.

He glanced around and out of the trees glowed two red orbs.

The heavens opened. He walked on. Drops of moisture, more like icicles than rain, stung his skin. The wind tormented him by pushing fallen leaves into his face. Red blotches soon appeared on the pale skin.

Suddenly before him was a graveyard; the graveyard of Little Hangleton. The gates groaned ominously as they protested their irritation at his opening them. He was completely alone.

The dark mist that was the sky descended upon him and swirled around his thin body like a cobweb of black silk. Black…Darkness. There wasn't a moon that evening, though in some part of his conscious mind he knew it to be the full moon, not that its pale and ghost like light could have penetrated the wall that the yew trees made. Those sinister and demonic trees seemed to have him in their grasp, as a spider's silken web would trap a fly.

Suddenly the trees' branches were a huge snake, with glinting red eyes.

Severus struggled, struggled, but in vain. The grip tightened.

He awoke suddenly, entangled in the sheets, sweating all over. Before him was burned the image of a solitary doe, gentle and beautiful. He wondered for a moment if he had cast the patronus charm, but the doe in his mind was reddish brown. He felt safe when she was near and so lamented the image fading from his retinas. It reminded him of Lily.

**Thankies for reading. I've noticed a lot of writers give cookies for reviewers, but this seems unorigonal, therefore all reviewer shall get cake. Partly because cake is awesome, but also, I don't think the infamous cry was "let them eat cookies!" Anyway, cake for reviewers and thanks to thebritishone who gave me the idea for Lily being an animagus! You rock! I hope you all liked the chapter since I decided to do some more descriptive work. Tell me what you think. LOVE YOU ALL REVIEW FOR CAKE! xx**


	23. Chapter 22

**Hey everyone! I normally wouldn't be updating again so soon, especially since I need to write much more of this for you guys! but something bad happened. My little sister's cat died. So this chapter is in memory of Monty 3 He will be greatly missed.**

Chapter twenty-two – come fly with me

The next morning dawned cold and grey. Severus remained in bed, fitfully switching between dreaming and wakefulness.

James was up at the crack of dawn and roared for his teammates to get up also. He was dog-tired (not that his best mate would appreciate the sentiment), but the show must go on, as Lily told him the muggles said in theatre.

Today was the first Quidditch match of the season. Griffindor versus Slytherin. James was psyched up and ready to go. He marched down to the great hall, leading his sleepy fellows and many Griffindors who had been woken, either by excitement or by James' very loud call, mostly the later.

Lily had headed down to breakfast early, despite waiting up for the marauders. It transpired that the three of them (Remus, Peter and Sirius) had found her in the early hours of the morning, asleep on the armchair by the fire.

James had returned to bed earlier than usual given the Quidditch match the following morning and had been so tired he had not noticed the slumbering Lily. Sirius began teasing him of how he, James' best mate, had carried his beloved up the stairs to his own bed, given that he could not enter the girls' bedchambers. James growled a growl worthy of a werewolf and began gulping down his breakfast.

Remus looked very tired with grey circles beneath his eyes and the usual paleness of skin he had become so accustomed to. Lily offered him a weak smile and then a grimace in the direction of his three friends, each of whom was making more mess than a niffler in a bank. Remus smiled back.

"Team. Dressing rooms." James ordered and a troop of red and gold clad figures marched out into the cold morning. Lily headed down to the pitch later with Sylvia and the other girls.

Although Lily tried to focus on the game, she was too tired and soon fell into a light slumber of Sylvia's shoulder.

"What's with you? Why are you so tired?" She asked Lily, shaking her slightly.

"I dunno. Lack of iron?" Lily proposed, not letting Sylvia see her eyes, lest she see the lie in them. Hestia offered Lily her shoulder instead, frowning at Sylvia.

"I think it was all that romancing with James last night." Marlene put in.

The girls all turned to face their friend who had a knowing smile on her face. Lily paled and groaned, turning to Hestia for comfort.

"Didn't you notice they were both missing from dinner, and then Lily here comes in late with pink cheeks."

"But none of the marauders showed up." Sylvia pointed out.

"But see how she blushes now." Marlene commented and the girls obediently turned to look at their friend whose cheeks were nearly as red as her hair.

"So. What was it you two were up to?" Alice inquired.

Lily remained silent, turning back to the forgotten game.

"Come, Evans, or we shall assume it's worse than it is." Marlene teased.

"Nothing."

"Well, nothing sure made you pink in the face."

"I think it was a little K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Marlene sang, being joined by Sylvia and Alice. Frank sat by Alice, puzzling at the girls, finally getting what every boy dreamed of; an insight into the female mind.

"Fine." Lily huffed. "For your information, he's teaching me something."

"Something eh?" Marlene asked, raising her eyebrows.

"You know, I think you've been spending too much time with Sirius!" Lily complained.

"Don't change the subject Evans."

"Actually, he's been helping me with this advanced spell he can do that I can't."

"Pfft!" The group scoffed, including the ignorant Frank.

"Yeah right, there's not a single spell you can't do."

"As far as you know."

And although the girls prevailed upon the redhead for more information, or details as to James' ability as a kisser, she said no more, the game now grabbing her attention, more out of self-preservation than interest.

XXXXX

"Come on. Just this once!" Sirius implored of the cloak-clad student beside him.

"No, Sirius."

"Please." He pouted, giving her the puppy dog eyes.

"No."

"You'll never know unless you try."

"No."

"Come on, you might even like it."

"I said no!" She grumbled, but Sirius smelt surrender.

"Come on. Or are you scared?" Sirius mocked, making to turn away, taking the broom with him.

For a moment she did not move, ignoring his comment as best she could. Then…

"Oi. Give that back, you don't know how to handle a broom!" Sirius shouted, since she had gabbed his broom, his most prized possession, from his hands instead of the school broom he had brought for her.

It was dark and her dark cloak and hair moulded into the scenery, meaning he did not know where she had gone.

"Come on Marlene, this isn't fair!" He complained.

Suddenly, she was beside him again, laughing at him.

"That's it." He growled and pulled her onto the broom behind him, leaving the other on the lawn.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! Sirius!" She moaned.

"Come on."

He soared straight up until they could see above the trees of the forbidden forest.

"See, isn't it beautiful up here."

Marlene made no reply. He looked behind him to see her eyes firmly shut and her arms tightened around his waist.

"Oh, Marlene, I'm so sorry, I didn't think you'd actually be scared. You're never scared." Sirius whispered, quite unsure what to do.

Marlene just sat there, shaking slightly with fear.

"Come on, don't you trust me?" He asked, his voice alluring, whether he was aiming for that or not.

He watched as her face screwed up, her nose twitching slightly. Then her eyelids slowly fluttered open, revealing her warm, brown eyes.

"There." He whispered, smiling at her. She gave him a weak smile, not daring to look down.

He turned her head so that she saw the horizon over the trees.

She gasped at the beauty of it.

Trust was good sometimes.

**Well, there we go. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, you are all truly amazing. I'm keeping a list of you all actually, so at the end I can credit each and every one of you :) Well, please review, and perhaps a minute's internet silence for Monty? **


	24. Chapter 23

**Heyy sorry for the long time without an update, but I went back to college O.o It'll probably be very irregular updates from now until the end of October because I have to submit my university application and do the LNA and they have to come first (in my parents eyes, but hey if I become a writer someday I don' really need university to do that, right?) Anyways, here's another chapter, so enjoy. And this also recalls a previous chapter, hehehe. Foreshadowing there in that previous chapter. Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter twenty-three – a very merry Christmas

The castle looked picturesque, like a giant, sugarcoated gingerbread house. The turrets were dusted with snow, while the lawns were saturated with white crystals below.

The Griffindors chattered amiably as they headed down to the dungeons, their breath rising in mists of smoke as if they were dragons.

"Come on you lot, you get later every lesson!" Slughorn commanded, but with a genial smile on his lips.

The group hurried to their table, pulling their cauldrons towards them and piling ingredients onto their desks.

"Well, like I was saying," Sirius continued. "A hippogriff would beat a thestral any day."

"But thestrals are just so creepy." Sylvia put in.

"How would you know? Have you ever seen one?" Mary asked.

"No. Who would want to?" Sylvia replied. "It must be terrible."

"Now, now, enough chat over here. This potions requires time to stew, which it will never have with this amount of talking going on." Slughorn commented, approaching their table, his stomach preceding him.

"Yes, sir." They said collectively, turning to their potions.

Slughorn walked off and James turned to Sirius and whispered, so as not to attract the attention of the others, "you know, we haven't done many pranks of late."

Sirius grinned in reply, holding up something that he partly shielded behind his cloak.

"Brilliant! Always one step ahead of me, aren't you Padfoot?"

"That I am, Prongsie, that I am." He paused, looking up. "A Christmas prank, since it's our last potions lesson before the holls?"

"Go for it."

"Target?"

"Need you ask, Pads?"

"Nay, shall it be the greasy haired slime ball we siege war upon, or the thick-headed idiot, Nott, beside him?"

James glanced at the supplies Sirius had in his bag.

"Both."

"Ah, well played sir." Sirius smiled. "The whole table if we can manage it?"

James nodded discretely, turning his attention to his potion as Slughorn walked passed. Lily glanced up, inquiringly, at the grin on James' face. He simply winked at her and she looked once more at her potions book, her face tinged slightly pink.

Sirius gave James the signal, and James promptly dropped one too many porcupine quills into his potion, causing it to fizz wildly, producing an acrid green smoke.

"Longbottom, what have you done now?" Slughorn asked, blindly wandering his way through the smoke that had completely saturated the air in the classroom. He targeted Frank because he was known to make mistakes in potions every once in a while.

"It wasn't me!" Frank complained. "I think it was James!"

"What did you do? Whoever it was that did whatever it was!" Slughorn called, confusing himself thoroughly.

"I don't know sir!" James said, mocking concern.

By this time the class was coughing wildly and Sirius had disappeared from James' side.

"Why, I can't see a damned thing in here." Slughorn complained, fiddling for his wand in his robes.

Suddenly, James felt a small pressure on his arm, notifying him that Sirius was back, and luckily for him as Slughorn disappeared the smoke the very next moment.

"One too many porcupine quills, I believe Mr Potter. Do be sure to read your book more carefully in future."

He turned and caught sight of something that made him cry, "oho!"

The class turned to face the Slytherin table, all of whom had bright, slime green hair.

"Brilliant Padfoot."

"Why thank you Prongs."

"There's something to be said for muggle hair products, with a little magic twist."

Mary who had caught the conversation and realised what had happened turned to the two boys and asked, "How long will it last?"

The two boys turned to look each other and turned back to their friend with identical grins.

"Oh, I don't know,"

"One, maybe two…"

"Days?" Asked Mary disappointed.

"Months." The two grinned together, then started laughing manically.

"Boys!" Slughorn complained, wiping his brow with his handkerchief.

"Yes, Sir?" They said simultaneously with tones of innocence.

He sighed.

"Detention. And on the last day of term too!" He looked at them, the corners of his mouth turned up as if in amusement, despite the targets being his own house.

XXXXXXXX

James and Sirius passed the group of Slytherins on their way to their detention that night. The Slytherins scowled, but could do little else since professor McGonagall was escorting the two miscreants.

"The last day of term? Really you two? You are making me miss the end of term feast!"

"I'm sorry Minerva. Perhaps, you'd enjoy a private, er, meal, with me instead?"

"Black!" She said, warningly.

"Give it up mate, she'll never fancy you!" James sniggered.

Sirius put on a heart broken face. "Minerva, dearest, is this true?"

"Black, I was under the impression you actually had intentions with miss McKinnon."

James spluttered, having heard nothing of this from his best mate, the perpetual bachelor and flirt. He knew Sirius flirted with Mary, but he flirted with everyone, as he had just proved by flirting with their head of house.

"Mary?"

"What?" Sirius yelped, then did some quick thinking. "No, Minerva, only you, only you!" He took her hand and stared into her eyes. In return she raised her eyebrows and the line that was her thin lips, thinned further.

"Behave, Black."

Sirius sighed and James looked at him with wonderment on his face.

"You two will be pruning the venomous plants in the greenhouse…I do hope neither of you will be foolish enough to get yourselves bitten." She only sounded half sincere in this statement.

The boys grabbed their dragon hide gloves and began work. A few minutes passed with the only sound being the biting of the plants and the occasional oath by the boys as a plant snapped dangerously close to them.

Sirius gradually made his way towards McGonagall.

"Minerva, I'd rather you kept our secrets, secret." He whispered to her, while James continued with the pruning.

"Well, Black, maybe if you learnt to behave, I wouldn't need to go to such extremes to control you. Besides, you and Potter are as thick as thieves. It may have been foolish and presumptuous of me, but I thought you would have told him. He told you about Lily."

Once again, McGonagall had astounded her students. She moved away, leaving the young man to think about his private affairs.

XXXXXXX

The Christmas holidays began and though Lily did not entirely approve of the prank the boys had done, she had to admit that seeing Nott with green hair had been rather funny.

The castle had its usual festive decorations up, but there were once again certain additions by the students. James had not forgotten his plan from last year.

"God rest ye merry Hippogriff…."

"Shut up James!" Mary snapped.

"Yeah, please! Why is it that you are so cheerful?" Lily asked, suspicious.

"Nothing, just, you know, er, festive spirit." But he turned and winked at Sirius and Remus. Peter had gone home for the holidays.

Lily, Mary, Sylvia, James, Sirius and Remus were actually the only ones of Griffindor tower remaining, except for one or two solitary seventh years who spent their time primarily in the library.

As such, the group had the common room to their selves for the most part.

It was Christmas day and the group had opened presents and had the traditional snowball fight, but were at a loss as to what else to do.

"Who wants a game of exploding snap?" Sirius called. The group gathered round, occasionally glancing at the relentlessly falling snow outside the window and the grey sky beyond.

When the time came, the group headed down to dinner. There were only two tables laid out, rather than the usual five.

"Huh?" Sirius looked around bemused.

"Well, there are not so many of us this year. One can only presume that our fellows wish to be with their families in such times as these, since the feasts are quite as excellent as they have ever been. There seem to be less and less who stay each year. Indeed, I do say the house elves have outdone themselves." He indicated the wide spread of foods already upon the golden plates.

"'Tis sad to think that not many are staying, but you can't blame them. Well, well, sit, sit. We are not sitting in uniform groups, you know, it seems silly on a festive day such as this." Dumbledore gabbled, directing each of the group to chairs.

Teachers and students milled about mixed among one another for once. Lily was mortified to find herself on one side of Professor Dumbledore, with McGonagall on the other side of him.

Lily was even more shocked to find that, as the meal went on, McGonagall got more and more red in the face as she consumed more and more wine.

Dumbledore chortled away, speaking to Lily on occasion, but never as if she were a mere student. Lily preferred to talk to James and Sylvia who were seated opposite her and Dumbledore and to Sirius who sat beside her, since she was quite at a loss as to what to say to her headmaster.

The evening concluded with twenty spectacular Christmas puddings complete with brandy. At this point McGonagall's hat fell off her head, but she appeared not to notice.

"Did you know, miss Evans, that under a muggle law it is illegal to eat Christmas pudding on Christmas day?" Dumbledore asked, turning towards her.

Lily was about to reply in the affirmative, but Sirius, leaning round her with his mouth full went,

"What a stupid law!"

"I quite agree master Black." Dumbledore chortled at his antics and in astonishment as his deputy headmistress kissed him on the cheek.

When the meal was over the group returned to common room, James and Lily in the lead, Sirius silently ordering the others to fall back slightly.

"What are you up to?" Hissed Mary.

He placed one of his lean fingers to his lips.

They reached the portrait hole and gave the password.

"Indeed, hic, enter." The fat lady said.

"Clearly someone has had too much to drink." Sirius muttered. Fortunately the portrait did not hear.

The group entered the room with Lily and James still in the lead.

Suddenly the procession was brought to a halt and Sirius gave a huge grin.

"What the?" Lily asked, finding herself suddenly glued to the spot.

James stood there feigning ignorance of this.

"Ah, it would seem the house elves have been mischievous enough to put up some extra strong mistletoe." Sirius commented with the air of someone commenting on the weather.

"Yeah right, Black, you planned this." Lily growled, her temper rising.

"It's true! Red heads do have a worse temper!" Sirius smiled with glee.

"BLACK!"

"EVANS!" Sirius roared back at her. "Just snog Prongsie, it'll make his holiday!"

She sighed, glaring at Sirius, before surprising everyone and doing exactly what she was told.

James looked like he had just been clubbed over the head by a mountain troll.

Lily walked away, her red hair dancing.

"Think the plan went pretty well, eh, Prongs?"

"Huh?" James said before mumbling some indistinct language, staring after the girl of his dreams.

The group took one look and laughed at the dumbstruck boy before them.

**Well, an extra long chapter (well for me) for you guys. Hope you liked it. It will make up for the next one, which is very, very sad :'( I hope to get it out soon. of course, more reviews will help me update sooner. I know there are some of you out there, quite a few actually, who are reading, but not reviewing and that makes me sad :( REVIEW! Pweeeeetttty pwease xx**


	25. Chapter 24

**Hey everyone! SORRY for the long absence of me updating, but i did warn you. life is so hectic right now, but I am updating just to keep you guys happy. And, sorry, guys, but this is a sad chapter, but it has to happen. Just warning you. xx**

Chapter twenty-four – love hurts

The group sat in the common room the weekend after term had recommenced. Snow still fell outside the window and the draughty corridors were freezing. In the common room, however, the warm golden glow of the fire kept everyone cosy.

Remus sat by Harriet, having missed her company over the holidays and read to her. The others thought this strange, but the two seemed content enough, so they did not bother them.

Lily, for once, sat beside James, watching the progression of his and Sirius' chess match.

"Aha! Take that Potter."

James sat in thought for a moment and then moved his knight.

In return Sirius thought for a brief moment before moving his bishop. Lily thought how odd it was to see Sirius thinking. When he did he poked the tip of his tongue between his lips and pressed on it and his eyes narrowed in order for him to concentrate. She had to admit that although it was bizarre, it was adorable.

After a few more moves Lily glanced down and saw what Sirius had not in his previous move. A grin blossomed on her face.

"Check mate, Black."

"What? Hooooww?" Sirius moaned.

"Quit your moaning, dog, I beat you fair and square." James triumphed over his best friend. "I'm just better than you."

Just then an owl flew through the window. The owl was uniformly grey, of medium size, not unusual in any way, shape or form. Well, except for the fact it was carrying a letter in its beak, but then again this was not unusual for the wizarding world.

The letter was on yellowed parchment. The owl dropped this in James' lap and flew back out of the window.

"Huh." James was clearly puzzled.

He ripped open the seal and Lily and Sirius engaged in conversation to give James some privacy.

However, they were soon interrupted by a stifled sob, followed by a cry of genuine pain. It tore Lily's heart to hear this, especially since she had never heard such a heart stopping cry of pain and nor had she expected it to come from James Potter.

She whipped around to face the boy beside her who was clutching the letter to his chest, shaking his head.

"J-James? What is it?" She asked, softly. Her mouth was dry with nervousness. The whole room was quiet, staring at the grief-stricken soul.

The evening fire suddenly held no warmth for Lily, seeing the usually so upbeat James in such misery.

In reply he handed her the letter, incapable of speech.

Lily glanced down at the already crumpled, tear-stained letter, not believing a word it said.

"No, no, James, this can't be true. It has to be, to be some…some prank of the Slytherins to get back at you. It can't be true James. They wrote to you just yesterday!" Lily was sobbing too and Sirius' eyes filled with tears as he too read the letter.

"It has the ministry's mark. It's o-official. It's not a p-prank." He sobbed, his head downcast.

Lily bit her lip and threw her arms around James, nestling her cheek in the unruly hair, tears flowing readily.

The room gradually emptied of all of those he did not have a right to witness something so private and personal, wanting to give James some time with his friends.

Sirius disappeared out of the common room too and a moment later they heard a loud, heart-wrenching howl from the forbidden forest.

Remus winced at the sound, holding the tearful Harriet in his lap.

Peter rose, too, to go to their dorm, as Frank had done.

"I ought to go, I have no place being here." He whispered.

"No, Wormtail, you-you can be here, if you want. It's not as if this was your-hic-fault. It's not you fault that my parents, that they're, they…they're d-d-d…"

Peter practically ran out of the room, seeming as if grief consumed him, but it was in fact something else, though he was not the guilty party.

"Shh." Lily hushed James, removing his glasses and wiping his eyes with the sleeve of her jumper.

"I've never seen Peter so upset. I never knew he c-cared that much." James whispered.

The night wore on, not much conversation passing, until one by one the group rose and went to bed, still sombre.

Eventually it was just James and Lily alone.

Lily was a little uncomfortable. She had never expected James to react to anything like this, though she knew he cared for his parents and loved them dearly. He had never been one for public displays of affection. Sure he would ask her out in front of everyone, but that was his bravado. The same bravado she kept expecting to see, even now.

She held him against her chest, running her fingers through the dark hair, feeling his chest rise with each breath and each sob. All the while James was whispering, begging for Lily to not leave him, not her too.

Sirius did not return until gone midnight.

"Sirius?" Lily questioned as he traipsed through the portrait hole.

The boy in front of her could barely be recognised as Sirius. He was soaking wet, his hair jet black from the moisture and seemed much longer than usual. His face was dirty in places and he even had one or two cuts, which Lily suspected him to have given himself in his dog form, so grief-stricken was he. His eyes were no longer bright and his beaming grin or mischievous smile were absent in a way that made Lily question whether she'd ever see them again.

She stood up, using her wand to dry him since he was soaked through. His head hung morosely and after giving her a mumbled thanks he trudged up the stone steps to his dorm.

Lily returned to James on the sofa.

"They were like his parents too, since he moved in with me." James explained. He then began to sob once more, soaking Lily's jumper further as she wiped at the constant stream of tears.

"Thanks, Lily." He mumbled after a long stretch of silence. Lily knew this was only encouraging his affection, but she couldn't abandon him at a time like this. At least that's what she told herself. She refused to admit that deep down she now cared for James at least as much as he cared for her.

Lily gathered his hands in hers. "Thank you is not necessary, James." Then she lifted one of his hands to her lips and kissed it before holding it to her cheek.

James looked up through red, tear-soaked eyes into her emerald eyes.

"You have such pretty eyes." He murmured.

"Shh. Sleep, you need it." She whispered, gently forcing him to lie on the sofa, before lying beside him and summoning a blanket from her room.

"Love hurts, Lily."

"Yeah, it does." She whispered, understanding his pain because she felt it keenly in her own breast. His pain was her pain and at that moment, his pain was so intense that it felt like a knife embedding itself in her chest.

"Don't leave me." James whispered, half asleep.

"I won't. I promise. Never."

**Ouch, it actually hurt writing that chapter. Poor James. :'( Review if you don't hate me for doing that, but it had to be done – they had to be dead by the time he and Lily die! Sorry. Review! xx**


	26. Chapter 25

**Hey all, updating! Thanks for the reviews! Loving them so much...I am sooo busy right now, but kinda miserable from all the horrible stuff going on, so letting it out through the miracle of writing and Harry Potter! xx**

Chapter twenty-five – dealing with death

The whole school seemed to know the following morning and they all mourned as one, despite some of the Slytherins. The staff and the students from the three remaining houses mostly knew the Potters and at least knew James and knew how he must be suffering.

The morning dawned cold and grey, as if the weather too was in mourning. Breakfast was quieter than usual, particularly at the Griffindor and staff tables.

"Potter." McGonagall spoke softly. The group jumped having not noticed her approach.

"James, could you please come to my office?" She asked, and Sirius swore he could see tears glistening in the beady eyes behind the spectacles.

James glanced up at her meekly for a moment before standing up. Lily stood up too. For a moment McGonagall just looked from one to the other and then she nodded, turning and walking away from the group.

Lily took James' hand and followed their head of house down the cold, stone corridors.

Soon Lily became aware of shuffling footsteps behind her and looked back to see Sirius following them.

They turned a corner and followed McGonagall's tartan back into her office.

"Please, sit." She offered, conjuring steaming mugs of tea and some biscuits. "My mother always used to say tea helps in situations like this." She said by way of an explanation.

The three sat in silence, while the fourth looked on. McGonagall herself was saddened by the news she had received, having known the Potters through the Order of the Phoenix, of which she was an honorary member.

"Sirius, this is most unlike you, where is the shameless flirting?" She asked, in an attempt to bring smiles to their faces. Each mouth uplifted slightly, but not enough to be classed as a smile.

McGonagall sighed.

"Well, of course James, there is the funeral to be considered. Since they were part of the order I have suggested that the order arranges the funeral, though the task would normally fall to you, their only living relative, but I doubt you are capable of such a task, are you?" McGonagall said softly, regarding the boy in question.

He nodded; indicating that the path she had taken was fine by him.

"And of course you shall have time off to attend. Sirius too, since he was always considered their second son." Sirius blinked back tears.

Lily looked up, the question in her eyes.

"And I'm guessing that you would like Lily to be there too?" The two boys nodded.

"No, I'd feel out of place there." Lily said softly, shaking her head.

James grabbed her hand, hidden by the desk at which they were all seated.

"Lily, I'm sure you would be in exactly the right place." McGonagall did not add that that place was James' side. "I know they had heard a lot about you from James, and Sirius too. Besides, I think both these boys will need you there."

The two boys nodded, their eyes beseeching Lily to go with them.

Lily nodded.

"When is it?" Sirius asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"The day after tomorrow."

The three nodded and rose to leave, sensing dismissal.

"Oh and boys?" McGonagall called.

"I expect there to be more pranks to punish you for soon. Life at Hogwarts would become very boring without you two." She smiled at the two and they stared back, smiles on their faces once more, despite the surrounding sadness.

"Yes ma'am." James nodded, though his glum looks returned as he left the room.

"Sirius?"

"Yes, professor?"

"I almost feel neglected without you playful flirtation, so cheer up soon."

Sirius stared back incredulously until McGonagall shooed him with her hands. She closed the door behind him, knowing that she would regret encouraging him sooner or later, but at least it had forced this terrible business from his mind.

"I love you Minerva." He shouted through the door, apparently having recovered himself. And McGonagall, pleased to see him returning to his normal self, giggled as if she were a schoolgirl.

XXXXXXX

The day of the funeral dawned sunny, the first sunny day they had experienced for a while. It was as if the weather, previously so in sympathy with their feelings, was now mocking them.

The three Hogwarts students, turned out in black, stood in McGonagall's room once more. The fire before them swirled a bright jade green and one by one they stepped into it, shouting "Potter mansion."

Lily was stunned by James' home, but barely noticed the splendour of the place because her eyes barely left James once they found him again.

Sirius shuffled along, looking more like a lost puppy than he had ever looked before. James' eyes were red, bloodshot and unseeing as he wandered, greeting friends and acquaintances. Most of the people there were in the order. He saw the Longbottoms in one corner.

The three took their seats right at the very front, not having the energy or the will to remain standing.

A wizard with a tuft of brownish hair appeared. He was short and seemed far too cheerful for a funeral, but it appeared that it was he who would conduct the events.

The funeral wore on, James went up to say a few words and returned to Lily choking back more tears. Everyone felt sorry for the one surviving Potter.

The moment came to bid his parents a final goodbye and James couldn't stand it. He forced the word through trembling lips as the brown haired wizard used his wand to cover the graves. They were buried in the family cemetery of their home, following Potter tradition.

Lily and Sirius lifted James from his knees and carried him back into the empty house. They were to stay there overnight before returning to Hogwarts.

Eventually James came to and said, "Lils, there's some blankets in the cupboard on the landing." Lily fetched them and arranged them on the floor. It was barely dark, but the three of them needed to escape waking thought.

Normally Sirius and James shared a room as they had discovered it was much more fun this way. Sirius took his normal bed and Lily went to sleep in the blankets on the floor, but James stopped her.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her.

"Er, going to sleep?" She replied uncertainly, lying down and looking up at him. He was so very tall.

His eyes narrowed and he lifted her bodily.

"Wha-?" She said, before being dumped on James' bed. James blew out the candles and climbed into the blankets on the floor.

Lily was not having that.

"James?" He turned to look at her. She sighed. "Fine." She grumbled. James chuckled and Lily brightened to hear him chuckle again.

She snuggled down, as did James. Sirius appeared to be already in a dead sleep, and Lily guessed he was emotionally drained from today.

After much tossing and turning, Lily whispered. "James?"

"Yeah?" Came the answer.

Lily patted the bed beside her and through the darkness saw his shape move to come sit on the bed beside her.

"I can't sleep." She told him.

"Me either."

The two sighed. Then Lily lifted the covers, inviting James to join her.

The two snuggled down again. The both of them quickly fell asleep with the comfort of each other's arms around them.

**REVIEW xxx**


	27. Chapter 26

**Another chappie, though a short one. I'm hoping to write some more during half term! :O :D Though I'm stuck on ideas - I know where I wanna go, but just can't write it - major writer's block me thinks :S Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Also, I am going to start something new - I'll promo the story of a reviewer on each chapter - just leave the story you want me to promo in the review, I'll read it and decide which one to promo: here's the first, though they didn't ask: .net/s/7400034/1/Severus_Snape_and_Lily_Evans_Through_Hogwarts by 1504 :D Go read, it's only just starting, but it's really good so far! Okay, enjoy!**

Chapter twenty-six – finally

_Previously …_

_The two snuggled down again. The both of them quickly fell asleep with the comfort of each other's arms around them._

A month later …

James and Lily stood with Remus, Sirius and Peter under a darkening sky. The four boys were still trying to help Lily produce a patronus. And they were failing miserably.

"I just can't do it!" Lily complained flopping onto the damp lawn.

The four boys flopped down in unison after her.

"Come on, even Wormy can do it!" Sirius encouraged. Lily shot him a look that said if looks could kill, you'd be dead right now.

Lily sighed, falling back and looking at the moon.

"James, er, I really ought to get going." Remus said, nodding his head up at the growing darkness above.

"Sure, you guys go, I'll head over in a minute or two." James said. The three slouched off towards the Whomping Willow leaving the flower with her admirer.

Since his parents death James had been quieter, calmer, and oddly more responsible. He had also been kinder and more helpful to Lily.

"You can do this, just concentrate." He told her.

Lily sucked in a huge breath, screwed her eyes shut and concentrated with all her might. Where her body met the evening she began to shimmer and shake. Then she sighed and became solid again.

"I can't."

"You're right, you can't." James said, trying a new tactic.

"What?"

"I guess you're just not strong enough, or smart enough." He said, with an air of contempt.

"Excuse me?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Aw, you angry?"

"Yeah, actually." And just a bit hurt, but she didn't need to add that.

"Come on then, get angry, because right now you're reminding me of an angry kitten, not dangerous at all." Lily growled under her breath, gripping her wand tightly, trying to stop herself hexing this annoying boy into oblivion.

"Really?" She asked, sarcasm in every line of her body. She was shaking with anger.

"Come on, shout!"

"James!" She said warningly.

"Lily flower." He cocked his head at her, teasingly.

"POTTER!" She roared.

"Yes, we're getting there!" He punched the air.

"What on Earth are you on about?" She growled.

"Now let go."

"What?"

"As, as if you're falling."

"Are you on drugs?"

"On what?"

"Never mind."

"Let go, now."

And for some reason unknown to herself she did, she felt as if she was going to explode with anger and if she didn't let go soon, she would explode.

She waited until the shaking had stopped, took a deep breath and counted to ten. When she opened her eyes, James was beside her, but in stag form.

She snorted.

Wait, she what?

She looked down at herself, only to find that she was no longer in jeans a hoody, but she had slender reddish brown forelegs.

She moved one experimentally and found that it moved with her.

She looked around and found that her vision was much, much clearer. Though she had never worn glasses, this new vision made it look as if she had been seeing things through muddy eyes.

She looked towards James who stared at her with incredulity written across his stag's face. Lily blinked and he was human again.

"You're a doe." James whispered.

Lily went to say "really? I hadn't noticed," but remembered she couldn't speak.

She looked around, kicked her heels up and ran into the forest. She didn't go too far, for fear of what could be in there. James came galloping in behind her.

**Yeah, real short chapter and for that I am sorry...I promise the next one will be better! :) REVIEW... R - E - V - I - E - W! please and thank you! xxx**


	28. Chapter 27

**Heya everyone! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for not updating in so long, but will try to give you a chapter every week, or fortnight now, except for during exam times. Sorry, but been soooooo busy and been really ill too :S Anyways, here's a short chapter just to remind you all that I'm still here and I hope to be able to post another chapie next weekend to satisfy you a bit more than this one. Also, not the title change - just thought the old one was boring. So enjoy the chapter!**

**P.S. check out my other stories too, since there's one that I am co-writing "I never thought you'd be in my life" which will be updated very regularly because we have me and 11 others writing it! It's part of a thing for out facebook page! Which you guys should definitely check out - there's a link (most of it) in that story. Please like the page! :D**

**ENJOY!**

Chapter twenty seven - their first station meeting.

Before Lily knew it she was on the train home from Hogwarts for the summer, with plenty of homework sitting in her trunk waiting to be done and with plenty of sweets and games of exploding snap to be occupying her and her friends for the time being.

As they all hoped down onto the platform, Lily was smothered in hugs by her friends. Lily gave Sylvia her mobile number and asked all the girls to write. After many rounds of hugs, Lily managed to detach herself from them all and spotted her parents on the other side of the platform, observing the scene with smiles. She saw Marlene's parents move towards them and engage them in conversation.

Lily turned to her trunk and tugged on it, only to stare in shock as the clasp opened and the contents went spilling onto the platform. Lily sighed, knowing her face would be as red as her hair by now. She stooped to pick up a few things, throwing them back into the trunk quickly, remembering how she had laboriously packed everything so neatly before! She shuffled towards a pile of papers; all her potions notes!

Suddenly a pale, lean hand flung out, gathering them together for her.

She stood up, her eyes moving from a pair of feet, to a set of robes, to a Gryffindor tie and finally to the hazel eyes of James Potter.

"Here, let me help you with that," he said and with a wave of his wand, everything was packed as neatly as it had been before.

"Thanks," Lily muttered, truly grateful, but cursing herself for not thinking of the spell sooner.

"Promise me you'll write?" James asked Lily quietly, a pink tinge coming to his cheeks with the uncertainty that plagued him, despite all they'd been through.

"Yeah." Lily replied, slightly puzzled by this new, shy James.

James brightened immediately and pulled Lily into a hug. And then, with a characteristic laugh and a ruffle of her hair, he was gone to the platform nearby where his parents were waiting with Sirius.

Lily smiled to herself, looking forward to the holidays for some strange reason.

**Hehe, please review, if you still love me that is after all this time! :D Hope you'll forgive me. Sorry it's so short!**

**Love,**

**Hermione at heart xx **


	29. UPDATE

HEY GUYS...JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, MY PEN NAME HAS CHANGED...I AM NOW HermionesQuill94. Thanks :)

~ Hermione at heart 94/ Hermiones Quill 94

P.S. Sorry I have been absent from the fanfiction world, but I'm up to my neck in school, exams and other...stuff...yeah...but will be back in about 2 months, hopefully to stay! PLUS, I now have a twitter dedicated to my writings, so if you want to follow me on there so you can be kept up to date on what's going on with my drabbles, then go ahead: Name is EleanorStringer name is Eleanor Stringer (oh the creativity)

HQ94


	30. AN

**ATTENTION:**

**is "purging" their database of stories. Any stories with song lyrics, violence or graphic descriptions will be removed and lost forever.**

**If you're against this, please sign the petition below:**

**The link is www . change (dot org) / petitions/ fanfiction-net -stop-the-destruction-of-fanfiction-net?utm_campaign= friend_inviter_modal&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source= share_petition (no spaces)**

**And share it with your friends, readers, favourite authors etc.**

**Thank you**

**~ Hermione's Quill 94**


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